What changed
Robert Lewandowski scored three times as Poland beat 10-man Romania 6-0 in the Nations League in Warsaw. Radu Dragusin was sent off in the 22nd minute, after which Lewandowski scored a penalty, added a second early in the second half and completed his seventh international hat-trick late on.
Piotr Zielinski and Jan Bednarek also scored, with an own goal completing the rout. Lewandowski now has 92 international goals. Poland are third in Group B4, while Romania are fourth.
Why it matters
The red card changed the match from a contest into a collapse. Romania had to defend with 10 men for most of the evening, and Poland turned that advantage into a scoreline that leaves little room for debate.
For Lewandowski, the night was about more than the margin. At 38, he still supplied Poland’s decisive finishing and reached another international landmark. Romania’s defeat also marked a difficult start for Gheorghe Hagi’s second spell in charge: he became the first Romania manager to lose his opening three competitive matches.
The same group also saw Edin Dzeko retire from international football after Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 1-1 with Sweden. Dzeko made his 152nd appearance, received a standing ovation when substituted and was honoured after the match with a guard of honour and drone show. Belgium beat Turkey 3-0, while Hungary beat Georgia 1-0.
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