Robert Lewandowski scores from the spot on the way to a 5 - 0 win over lowly San Marino: photo - PAP/Leszek Szymanski
Poland needed the victory to restore a little morale after their 1 – 3 drubbing to Ukraine last Friday, a loss that makes qualifying for Rio 2014 unlikely though not mathmatically impossible.
San Marino's goalkeeper, Aldo Simoncini – one of only two full time professional footballers in a squad of part-timers - was the busiest player on the pitch at the National Stadium in Warsaw, making two good saves to keep out Poland's strikers in the first 10 minutes.
San Marino have yet to win a competitive fixture in their history – losing 51 matches in a row, with just a single victory to their credit: a 1 – 0 win in a friendly against the mighty Liechtenstein, way back in 2004 – and never looked like breaking their duck on Tuesday evening.
After enjoying virtually all the possession, Poland's breakthrough came in the 21st minute with a penalty converted by Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski – his first goal in nine matches for Poland - after a hand ball by a San Marino defender inside the box.
Lewandowski's German club team mate, defender Lukasz Piszczek, added to the scoreline in the 28h minute with an easy chance from six metres out.
The Polish team – hammered in the local media following a weak, passionless, performance against Ukraine – started to enjoy themselves, in what was at times an embarrassingly one-sided game of football.
In the 31st minute, San Marino managed their first meaningful attack, however, with a move down the right. Matteo Vitaioli crossed the ball – although some think it was actually a wayward shot on goal - but veteran Andy Selva could only tamely volley the ball over the crossbar.
Normal service resumed after that, with Poland encamped in San Marino's half.
The problem with facing teams as weak as San Marino is, that a two-goal lead is seen as not being enough. England put eight past them at Wembley on Friday, so the pressure was back on the Polish side for more goals in the second half.
Lewandowski slotted home another penalty after another hand ball in the 49th minute and then Lukasz Teodorczyk scored on the hour.
One minute from time, Poland's goalkeeper Artur Boruc made his first save of the match, after San Marino's Rinaldi ran the ball into the penalty area and shot from cross range.
Jakub Kosecki scored a fifth in the 90th minute, wrapping up an adequate performance by the Poles.
But doubts will remain over the future of national coach Waldemar Fornalik. Chairman of the Polish football association, Zbigniew Boniek, said following the defeat to Ukraine that though the coach's position is safe for the time being, “I have to be sure that the coach and the team are going in the right direction”.
In other matches in Group H, Ukraine beat Moldova 2-1, putting them on eight points from five games, behind third-placed Poland, who have a better goal difference.
In the top of the table clash, Montenegro held England to a 1 – 1 draw in Podronica, leaving the side representing a population of just 650,000 top of Group H on 14 points to England's 12, with four matches left to play. (pg)