Lewandowski and De Jong, all square after Poland-Netherlands (1-1)

Robert Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong faced each other again in the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. On Friday, both FC Barcelona players started in the 1-1 draw between Poland and the Netherlands, in a match where the '9' provided an assist.

The locals took the lead in the 43rd minute with a goal from Jakub Kaminski, assisted by Lewandowski. However, the Netherlands reacted right at the start of the second half with a goal from former Barça striker Memphis Depay. In the end, both 'Lewy' and Frenkie played the full 90 minutes, although the forward was substituted in stoppage time

Netherlands Already in the World Cup; Poland Will Go to the Play-offs

The result, moreover, left the midfielder much more satisfied. With the draw, the team managed by Ronald Koeman mathematically secures their qualification for the World Cup, with one match to spare. The 'Orange' have 17 points, 3 more than Poland, but with a +19 goal difference

Jan Urban's team, on the other hand, maintain a +6 goal average and have secured their place in the playoffs to be played at the end of March. The Poles will visit **Malta** on Monday, while the Netherlands will host **Lithuania** in the final match of the qualifiers. Both games will be played at 8:45 PM CEST.

For the Dutch, this is their second consecutive World Cup qualification (they were eliminated in 2018), while Poland fights to advance to their third World Cup in a row. The last time the 'white-red' team failed to qualify was in 2014 (Brazil)

Lewandowski and De Jong complete an intense match without injuries

On Friday, Robert Lewandowski was not enough to prevent his national team from drawing. The '9' was the player with the most duels won on the day (7 out of 14) and added an assist. Although he couldn't score, he drew a couple of fouls and made 1 of his team's 7 shots on target.

Poland was superior in the proceedings, with more clear chances despite having less possession (42%). However, the Netherlands was more practical, striking at the right moment to take the point they were looking for*.

De Jong, for his part, was the player with the most completed passes (92 out of 94, 98% effectiveness) and recovered 3 balls, in addition to completing a couple of defensive actions. The match was very physical, with up to 23 fouls between both teams. That's why Barça breathes a sigh of relief knowing that its internationals got through the match without injuries.**

• At FCBN you can follow the progress of all the FC Barcelona internationals live during this FIFA date.