England’s players fell to their knees in anguish as bedlam broke out around them in Warsaw’s Stadion Narodowy in the moment Poland secured a draw amid chaotic closing moments.
Gareth Southgate’s side had held firm with commendable calm and a measure of maturity as they defended Harry Kane’s superb goal that put them on the brink of a sixth successive victory in the qualifying campaign for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.
And then it was snatched away in injury time as the great Poland striker Robert Lewandowski showed his class as a creator as well as a marksman by sending the perfect invitation for Damian Szymanski to head past England keeper Jordan Pickford.
Warsaw celebrated with a wall of sound which was repeated minutes later as Poland enjoyed what felt like a victory while England were in despair about what felt like a defeat.
And yet, in the final reckoning and when that pain has…