All Time World Cup!
Nedved 30, Lubanski 33, Masopust 64, Szarmach 75
MEXICO CITY - Azteca
An excellent match between the two Eastern European neighbours saw them share four goals and plenty of attacking verve. Serie A star Pavel Nedved gave his side the lead on the half hour, curling home a sweet free kick after Janas had upended Kubala.
Poland hit back almost immediately though, when a long range blast from Boniek deflected into the path of Lubanski, who coolly dinked the ball past Plánička for his second goal in as many games.
Both sides pressed forward and took turns to go close.
First Plánička dived bravely at the feat of Lato, then Tomaszewski acrobatically tipped a shot round the post from 1930s star Antonin Puč . It was 1962 European Footballer Of The Year Josef Masopust who finally broke the deadlock, slipping the ball under Tomaszewski after a long run from midfield in which he exchanged quick one-twos with both Nedved and Kubala.
Poland never allowed their opponents to rest on their laurels though, and almost fashioned a second quick equaliser when Ernst Pol almost got on the end of a looping Boniek cross. With a quarter of an hour to go, Poland did finally draw level once again, when Andrzej Szarmach, on as a sub for Lubanski, pounced on a loose ball in the box and drove home through a crowd of players past the unsighted Czech keeper.
The game gradually petered out after that, and 2-2 was a fair result at the final whistle. Neither team was entirely satisfied not to have won, but both could take positives from their situation. Poland now had four points and were almost certainly through.
Czechoslovakia had not won a game yet, but nor had they been beaten, and they had their fate in their own hands going into their final match against Romania.
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