LONDON, March 29 — Poland suffered a massive blow ahead of this week’s crunch World Cup qualifier away to England when striker Robert Lewandowski was ruled out because of a knee injury.

Lewandowski injured his right knee just past the hour mark of Sunday’s victory over Andorra and underwent scans today. The Bayern Munich player is expected to be out for 10 days.

"Robert Lewandowski will not play in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifying match against England in London due to an injury,” the Polish Football Association said on their website.

"Clinical and imaging studies have shown damage to the collateral ligament of the right knee. The short time remaining until the next match of the national team excludes the participation of the national team captain in this match.”

The 32-year-old Lewandowski has been in scintillating form this season and already has struck 42 goals for Bayern in all competitions this season. He scored twice for Poland in the 3-0 win over Andorra in the Group I fixture.

Lewandowski is on track to break Gerd Mueller’s 1971-72 Bundesliga season record of 40 league goals in one campaign, having already bagged 35 with 8 league games left. — Reuters