SAINT-ETIENNE -- Poland coach Adam Nawalka defended star striker Robert Lewandowski after his European Championship goal drought continued.
Nawalka said captain Lewandowski was "doing phenomenal work" for his team despite having failed to score in their four games so far.
But the Bayern Munich player did convert his side's first penalty in the 5-4 shootout win over Switzerland following a 1-1 draw.
"The most important thing is the win," Nawalka told a news conference.
"Robert is doing phenomenal work for this team. He is incredibly important, both mentally and in football terms."
Lewandowski's Euro blank goes back to the 17th minute of Poland's opening match of Euro 2012 against Greece.
"We know from history some cases where players are the star, and they don't score and they don't care about the result," Nawalka said. "It's the opposite here.
"He can physically and mentally compete in every match. He is giving space and creating chances. He takes the opponent's attention away. It's great work."
The coach said he was "confident and sure" Lewandowski would end his barren spell soon.
Jakub Blaszczykowski scored the opening goal in the round of 16 match in Saint-Etienne, only to see it cancelled out by Xherdan Shaqiri's spectacular equaliser.
Grzegorz Krychowiak scored the final kick of the shootout to book a quarterfinal place in Marseille, with Arsenal's Granit Xhaka the only man to miss when he blasted well wide.
Poland will play the winner of the Croatia vs. Portugal match, and scorer Blaszczykowski said: "We want more and more success now. It gives us motivation."