An indifferent start to the process sees Poland with ground to make up in Group I of the World Cup qualifiers, when they welcome Albania to Warsaw on Thursday.

The Euro 2020 finalists were only able to beat minnows Andorra during their first three matches of the campaign, while their visitors already have six points on the board.

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Since head coach Paulo Sousa took the reins in January, the former Fiorentina manager has experimented with personnel and tactics, but his Poland side have rarely responded to his ideas.

In their opening qualifying fixtures for Qatar 2022, the Eagles picked up only one point from encounters with main rivals Hungary and England; defeating Andorra 3-0 in between. Post-season friendlies then saw them held to draws by both Russia and Iceland, as they entered the European Championship finals with only one win in seven games.

Sousa's men fared little better in the summer's main event, as they were beaten by Slovakia and Sweden either side of a gritty 1-1 draw with Spain, in which talismanic captain Robert Lewandowski was on the scoresheet once more.

The Bayern Munich striker's brace also helped secure their solitary Group I win over Andorra in the spring, though he was forced off with a knee injury and missed the subsequent loss to old rivals England just days later.

Certainly, the current FIFA men's player of the year - his nation's most-capped player and all-time leading marksman - will expect to lead his team to successive wins against Albania and San Marino in the coming week, before they reconvene with Gareth Southgate's Euros runners-up.

In the past, Poland have come out on top in their last five meetings with their Albanian counterparts - though the last of those victories came in May 2008 - and will need to continue that historical trend if they are to stay in the race for a place in the Middle East next winter.

Attempting to stay on the coat-tails of second-placed Hungary - assuming England are set to ride off into the distance and assure qualification with their customary ease - the coming week holds plenty of potential for Albania to take steps towards a first-ever World Cup finals.

After their midweek trip to the Polish capital, Edy Reja's men will host the Hungarians - who impressed in the so-called 'Group of Death' during the summer - and then lowly San Marino, in their fifth and sixth fixtures of the process.

A 2-0 win over the Sammarinese concluded the first spell of qualifying for the Shqiponjat (like Poland, 'the Eagles') after a narrow win in Andorra and an expected defeat by the English back in March.

Still waiting for an elusive appearance at the football world's showpiece event after decades of trying in vain, Reja kept things ticking over by holding a summer training camp, during which his team played friendlies against the Czech Republic and Wales - losing to the former and holding the latter to a goalless draw in Cardiff.

This week, the former Lazio coach - a senior statesman of the European game at the age of 75 - will expect better from his forwards than in their last five outings, where the team have struggled to score against even some of the lowest-ranked nations on the planet.

Being able to call upon Empoli playmaker Nedim Bajrami should aid Albania's cause in that regard, as he will be available to create chances for the frontmen after being cleared to switch allegiance from Switzerland earlier this week.

Team News

Ahead of a busy spell of crucial competitive action, Paulo Sousa has a handful of injuries which will deprive him of options to support star striker Robert Lewandowski. Not only has Napoli schemer Piotr Zielinski been ruled out with a knee injury, but Krzysztof Piatek remains sidelined with the ankle injury which caused him to miss the Euros.

In addition, ex-Leicester City forward Bartosz Kapustka is a long-term absentee, having sustained a cruciate ligament tear while celebrating a stunning solo goal in Champions League qualifying by jumping into Legia Warsaw's fans, causing his knee to buckle.

Furthermore, Leeds United's Mateusz Klich missed Sunday's Premier League clash at Burnley having tested positive for COVID-19 and has not met up with the squad, so Karol Linetty and Jakub Moder could be asked to start, while Karol Swiderski links up with Lewandowski up front.

Albania, on the other hand, have had their creative department boosted by Nedim Bajrami winning the right to switch national teams, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld an appeal against FIFA's rejection earlier this year. The talented 22-year-old represented Swiss teams from youth level through to the Under-21s, but is now ready to make his Albania debut from the start.

Torino's Etrit Berisha has generally been given the nod in goal over Lazio reserve Thomas Strakosha and should be favoured on Thursday by Edy Reja, with another Italy-based quartet - Elseid Hysaj, Berat Djimsiti, Ardian Ismajli and Marash Kumbulla set to feature in the visitors' rearguard.

Meanwhile, Sokol Cikalleshi scored the Albanians' only goal of the post-season friendlies and is likely to start up front.

Poland possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Bereszynski, Glik, Bednarek, Rybus; Krychowiak, Moder, Linetty; Jozwiak, Swiderski; Lewandowski

Albania possible starting lineup:
Berisha; Kumbulla, Djimsiti, Ismajli; Hysaj, Gjasula, Abrashi, Laci; Roshi, Bajrami; Cikalleshi

We say: Poland 2-1 Albania

Lewandowski's return to the qualifying campaign provides a major plus for Poland ahead of the resumption, but Albania are a serious proposition under a wily and revered head coach - with plenty of Serie A experience also available amongst his personnel.

The visitors are set to push the Poles all the way, but a stark difference in quality within the width of the goalposts should decide a close-run encounter in the home side's favour.

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