Lewandowski misses penalty as Poland draw 0-0 with Mexico at World Cup

DOHA: Poland and Mexico played out an entertaining 0-0 draw in their opening Word Cup Group C game at Stadium 974 in Qatar on Tuesday (Nov 22), with Polish skipper Robert Lewandowski failing to break his tournament duck when his second-half penalty was saved.

Lewandowski earned the penalty after a VAR check 11 minutes into the second half when Hector Moreno tugged at his shirt in the box. But the Polish striker, who has never scored at the World Cup, saw his shot saved by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.

"Today I feel sorry for Robert, because I know how much he wanted to score at the World Cup," Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz said.

"So far he has not succeeded, but I hope that in the next opportunities that lie ahead of him he will convert them into goals."

The result leaves Saudi Arabia as surprise group leaders following their stunning 2-1 upset of Argentina, one of the pre-tournament favourites, earlier in the day.

In a temporary arena built using 974 recycled shipping containers that overlooks the Arabian Gulf, a sea of Mexico fans in green outnumbered their Polish counterparts and made their presence felt in the 40,000-capacity venue.

The Mexicans gave a stirring rendition of their national anthem that reduced winger Alexis Vega, who is playing at his first World Cup, to tears.

Right after kickoff the fans raised the volume with a Mexican wave that swept through the stands while the unique metal structure of the stadium reverberated as they bounced up and down with chants of "Mexico, Mexico!"

A flowing game of few fouls but fewer chances came to life around the half-hour mark when Vega saw his header fly wide before Jesus Gallardo was denied with a last-man tackle when he had an open goal at his mercy two minutes later.

Mexico