Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Poland – News and Probable Lineups

The second-placed team takes on the side in third from Group B4 of the UEFA Nations League, with Bosnia and Herzegovina set to host Poland in a significant encounter on Monday.

These two nations are separated by merely one point, as the home side aims to increase its lead over its counterpart and enhance its chances for direct promotion.

Match overview

Bosnia has made a solid start in their effort to quickly return to League A, remaining unbeaten in their first three matches and earning five points in total.

The Dragons, who were relegated from the competition’s top tier during the 2024-25 season, began this year’s tournament with a draw against Poland before securing a 4-2 victory over Romania. However, they failed to carry that momentum into their home match against Sweden on Friday.

Barbarez would have been pleased with their spirited performance, managing to earn a point against the leading Scandinavian team thanks to Kerim Alajbegovic’s late equalizer, which has seen Bosnia only lose two of their last 15 matches in all competitions.

Both of those losses occurred in the World Cup where they faced tough defeats to Switzerland in the group stage and were eliminated by co-hosts USA in the round of 32. Nonetheless, playing on home territory should provide them with an added advantage.

Bosnia has suffered only one defeat in their last eight home contests (W4, D3), though three of those recent matches ended in draws after 90 minutes, which could warrant a degree of caution as they strive to remain in the top two of their group.

Similarly, Poland also faced relegation from the Nations League’s top tier last time around, and their pursuit of a swift return has seen a somewhat sluggish beginning, amassing four points in their first three matches of this campaign.

The White-Reds started their campaign with a draw against Bosnia, followed by a 3-1 loss to group leaders Sweden. They somewhat redeemed themselves with a 6-0 thrashing of 10-man Romania in their most recent match.

Under Jan Urban, Poland capitalized on their numerical advantage after Radu Dragusin’s dismissal in the 22nd minute, with Robert Lewandowski converting the resulting penalty and then adding two more goals in a second half that featured a five-goal spree.

This victory was Poland’s largest since a 7-1 victory over San Marino in 2021, while it also ended a five-match winless streak (D2, L3) during a period that saw the White-Reds miss World Cup qualification after losing in the playoffs against Sweden.

Nonetheless, Poland can find some solace in their unbeaten record against Bosnia in their last six encounters, winning four of those matches, although their away form needs improvement, with only two wins in their past eight away fixtures (D1, L5), both against lower-ranked opponents Malta and Lithuania.

Team News

Bosnia will have to navigate this match without their legendary forward and captain Edin Dzeko, who played his final match for the national team in the last game against Sweden.

Consequently, Haris Tabakovic is anticipated to step back into the lineup as the leading striker after replacing Dzeko in the previous match, with the 32-year-old looking to increase his goal tally this campaign.

Alajbegovic is expected to retain his position on the wing following his crucial equalizer in the last match, while former Arsenal player Sead Kolasinac should hold down the left side of defense.

Poland, likewise, reports no new injury concerns from their last fixture, suggesting that most of the players from their convincing victory may be kept in the lineup, with Robert Lewandowski likely to spearhead the attack once again.

The 38-year-old’s hat-trick in the most recent encounter elevated his international goal total to 92, placing him behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ali Daei, Sunil Chhetri, and Romelu Lukaku among the top goal scorers in history.

It’s likely that manager Jan Urban will maintain the same back four used against Romania, with Jan Bednarek and Jakub Kiwior partnering centrally in defense, while Matty Cash and Przemyslaw Frankowski could continue as full-backs.

Bosnia-Herzegovina probable starting XI

Zlomislic; Katic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Memic, Bajraktarevic, Alajbegovic, Basic, Gigovic; Tabakovic, Demirovic

Poland probable starting XI

Roll; Cash, Bednarek, Kiwior, Frankowski; Szymanski, Nowak, Zielinski, Zalewski; Swiderski, Lewandowski

Bosnia has shown considerable resilience at home, and while a win here could bolster their aspirations for a group-top finish, avoiding a defeat would also suffice to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top two, suggesting a cautious approach may be employed.

Poland, conversely, may rely on their historical advantage against Bosnia; however, concerns about their away performance could hinder their quest for maximum points, indicating that a draw might be a realistic outcome here.