Coach optimistic after losing to France

Robert Lewandowski and France's Bacary Sagna; photo - PAP/Bartek Zborowski

“Our opponents forced us to make a great effort. They were superior to us but we can learn from this,” Smuda said after France scored the decisive goal after only 12 minutes at the Legia Warszawa ground last night.

The gaol came after Charles N'Zogbia's shot low at goal was deflected by defender Tomasz Jodlowiec past keeper Wojciech Szczesny, giving him no chance.

After conceding the early goal, Poland moved the ball around well in midfield, but their lack of edge up front meant chances to level the score were few and far between.

France, coming off a 4 - 1 win over Ukraine last Monday, fielded an experimental side without stars such as Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri.

Poland put out the same side as the one which beat a second-string Argentinean side at the weekend (2 - 1) in Donetsk, with the French-born Pole Ludovic Obraniak replacing Kamil Grosicki up front.

“I think you will see progress in our game,” said Arsenal goalkeeper Szczesny, who made some important saves. “In defence we were not bad but we just lacked goals. If we could have ended the match 1 - 1 then this would have changes the view of our performance,” he added.

Poland have just 12 months to improve as they co-host, with Ukraine, the Euro 2012 football championships next summer. (pg)