As the clock ticked into the final 15 minutes at Stadium 974, Robert Lewandowski had got the word. Mexico were 2-0 up against Saudi Arabia, manager Czeslaw Michniewicz said, but Poland football were going through because they had two fewer yellow cards.
It created an almost absurd situation in their own 2-0 defeat to Argentina, but one that was in its own way incredible theatre. Poland had to try and keep the score as it was, and to waste time, but had to try all of that without risking the bookings against some very inventive players that would put them out. That was all setting aside the even greater risk that Mexico, at that point rampantly chaotic, might score again. Saudi Arabia were giving Luis Chavez enough chances from free-kicks.
