WARSAW, Poland — England conceded in the second minute of stoppage time to draw 1-1 at Poland on Wednesday and drop points for the first time in qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
Harry Kane’s goal from a powerful 30-meter shot in the 72nd minute looked like it would give England a sixth straight win in Group I but, in a rare sight of goal for Poland, Damian Szymanski headed home from a cross by Robert Lewandowski.
England’s lead in the group was trimmed to four points because Albania beat San Marino 5-0 to move a point above Poland in second place. Hungary beat Andorra 2-1 and was in fourth place, a point behind Poland.
England is still a big favorite to secure the sole automatic qualifying berth from the group, with games still to come against San Marino and Andorra.
Still, coach Gareth Southgate will bemoan the way his team lost control of the game after Kane put England ahead with his 41st — and perhaps best — goal for his country, placing him fifth outright in England’s all-time list. He has now scored in 15 straight European Championship or World Cup qualifying matches.
It meant Kane was about to outshine Lewandowski in a battle of two of the world’s best strikers.
However, England dropped deeper in the closing stages and Lewandowski, starved of service for most of the game, delivered a moment of class by standing up a perfect cross that Szymanski attacked, heading into the corner for his first international goal.
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