Poland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – News and Probable Lineups

Polônia is looking to initiate their UEFA Nations League B campaign with a strong performance as they host Bosnia-Herzegovina at PGE Narodowy this Friday.

The White-Reds aim to secure their first victory in four matches, while the Dragons hope to build on the positive display they offered at the World Cup.

Match overview

Jan Urban’s Polônia were unexpected absentees from the 2026 World Cup and are eager to make a resounding start as they begin their qualification cycle for Euro 2028.

The White-Reds narrowly missed their place in this summer’s tournament, suffering a 3-2 defeat to Suécia during the playoffs in March, a match where they managed to equalize twice, only to be undone by Viktor Gyokeres’s late winner in the 88th minute.

This setback halted Urban’s side’s impressive run of seven unbeaten matches, which included five wins and two draws, both against Países Baixos.

To compound their woes, Polônia followed their playoff exit with a 2-0 loss to Ucrânia on May 31, then drawing 2-2 with Nígeria three days later.

With the hosts enduring a disappointing summer, their morale may be low, but securing all three points this Friday in front of their supporters could help rejuvenate the team.

However, it’s worth noting that the White-Reds were relegated from Nations League A last time around after suffering four defeats and gathering merely four points from six encounters in the 2024-25 season, and it’s uncertain whether the 38-year-old Robert Lewandowski can guide Polônia back to success.

On the other hand, Bosnia-Herzegovina, under the guidance of Sergej Barbarez, prepares to bid farewell to their national team stalwart Edin Dzeko this autumn, riding on the wave of positivity stemming from their World Cup journey.

The former Manchester City forward, who captains the Dragons and holds the records for both goals scored (73) and appearances (151), has declared his retirement from international football following their match against Suécia on October 2, and he will strive to leave the team in a strong position during his final matches.

In many ways, Barbarez’s squad has already fulfilled this objective, as they reached only their second World Cup finals this year and progressed to the knockout stages for the very first time in the nation’s history.

With newfound experience in major tournaments, Bosnia-Herzegovina will be aiming to leverage this momentum for a victory on Friday that could serve as a launching pad towards Euro 2028.

However, the visitors have only claimed victory in one of their last six away matches, which was a 4-2 triumph on penalties against País de Gales after a 1-1 draw following extra time back in late March.

Team News

Polônia will miss left-sided forward Adrian Benedyczak, who is sidelined with a broken wrist, and attacking midfielder Filip Rozga, who is contending with a muscle injury.

In spite of this, Karol Swiderski is expected to partner Robert Lewandowski in attack, while Aston Villa’s Matty Cash and Sabah’s Tymoteusz Puchacz are likely to provide assistance from the wing-back positions.

Addtionally, Nicola Zalewski, Piotr Zielinski, and Sebastian Szymanski are anticipated to manage the midfield, aiming to ensure stability for the home side.

On the Bosnia-Herzegovina side, they seem poised to be led by their veteran forward, Edin Dzeko, joining Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirovic, with Kerim Alajbegovic operating in a number 10 role.

In defense, Barbarez may choose to deploy center-backs Nikola Katic, Stjepan Radeljic, and Tarik Muharemovic ahead of goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

Polônia probable starting XI:

Roll; Bednarek, Wisniewski, Kawior; Cash, Zalewski, Zielinski, Szymanski, Puchacz; Swiderski, Lewandowski

Bosnia-Herzegovina probable starting XI:

Vasilj; Katic, Radeljic, Muharemovic; Bajraktarevic, Gigovic, Sunjic, Kolasinac; Alajbegovic; Dzeko, Demirovic

Polônia will be eager to commence their Nations League journey strongly after their World Cup absence, led by Lewandowski, who is bound to be a threat in the penalty area.

Bosnia-Herzegovina might have faced challenges away from home in recent times, but their confidence from the summer could enable them to secure a point in Warsaw as Dzeko’s retirement approaches.