Poland supporters fired off an offensive chant during their win over Sweden
Poland faced Sweden for a place at the Qatar World Cup. © PressFocus / MB Media / Getty Images
Poland fans were captured insulting Russians as their team secured a 2-0 win over Sweden and booked their tickets for the 2022 World Cup in November.
The Poles should have met Russia in Moscow in a March 24 semifinal but refused to play against Valeri Karpin’s men as a response to their country’s military operation in Ukraine.
The contestants of the other semifinal, the Czech Republic and Sweden, also insisted they would not head to the Russian capital on March 29 for a potential final, but this proved unnecessary when FIFA and UEFA followed an International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendation and banned Russian teams.
As a Russian Football Union (RFU) appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was turned down, Poland received a bye to the final where they faced Sweden after the Swedes beat the Czechs 1-0 in extra-time last Thursday.
During the 2-0 win at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow which the Poles achieved with second-half goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski, though, sections of the crowd were heard insulting Russians, as shown in video footage that has made its way to Twitter.
Ruska kurwa 🤠 #POLSWEpic.twitter.com/jMbAFsUCv4
— 𝖄𝖆𝖗𝖔 (@OldTrafford1964) March 29, 2022
#Polska#POLSWERuska kurwa ajeajeao 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/z0hfo3LhA3
— Oleksandr Vitrenko (@AlexVitrenko) March 29, 2022
Chants of ‘Ruska kurwa’, which can roughly be translated to ‘Russian whores’, reportedly increased around the terraces in the 18th minute of play with the score still tied 0-0.
Polish President Andrzej Duda didn’t address the chants but tweeted: “Bravo WHITE-RED! POLAND goes to QATAR with its head held high!” after the match.
“Great success after a very good game! A well deserved victory! PRIDE! Thank you!!!” he continued.
But last month, when Polish Football Association head Czarek Kulesza announced Poland’s plans to boycott the semifinal against Russia, Duda was a prominent critic of the Russians.
“And rightly so, Mr. President,” wrote Duda in response to Kulesza’s tweet revealing the intentions. “You don’t play with bandits.”
Captain Robert Lewandowski also supported the notion, and said it was the “right decision”.
“I can’t imagine playing a match with the Russian National Team in a situation when armed aggression in Ukraine continues,” stressed the Bayern Munich ace.
“Russian footballers and fans are not responsible for this, but we can’t pretend that nothing is happening.”
On Instagram, ‘Lewa’ celebrated the victory by posting: “We’re going to the World Cup! Bravo Team, bravo fans!
“Everything is possible when you fight to the end and you believe in victory!” Lewandowski, who wore a Ukraine flag colored-armband, concluded.
