(photo: Zaglebie-lubin.pl, author: Tomasz Folta)
There are two kinds of games in the Ekstraklasa – where players’ mistakes make the match an interesting one to watch, and where misplaced passes, poor skills and lack of plan make it a horrible experience. Indeed, it was quite special that the surname of the hero of the first match played on the April Fools’ day, translated to English means a “mistake”. But scorer of his first Ekstraklasa goals, Adrian Błąd could hardly laugh at the end of Zagłębie’s match with Ruch Chorzow.
Match in Lubin was never in danger despite heavy snow falls in Poland throughout Easter. Zagłębie started strongly, attacking down both flanks and having Robert Jeż in fine form, who played the ball well to his wingers. In 10th minute it was Czech playmaker who found Adrian Błąd drifting inside from right side, and young player controlled the ball well before opening his Ekstraklasa goal account with a well-taken finish. Zagłębie was missing Pawłowski and Papadopulos, and in the latter stages of opening half it was all Ruch as home goalkeeper was busy keeping his team up top.
But when at the beginning of the second half his own defenders decided to play against him, Gliwa could only watch as Cotra heads the ball into own goal from Ruch’s corners. Despite Zagłębie’s rapid answer – it was Błąd again with the simple finish from a powerful cross on 52nd minute – mistakes mounted and Łukasz Janoszka was allowed to level the score again in the first move from Ruch’s kick off. Hapal could hardly believe as the nervousness got into his players and Ruch took advantage, creating chance by chance. When Błąd was sent off in the added time it looked as if Zagłębie will hold on, but Gliwa’s misjudgement and more of bad defending meant that Jakub Smektała found the winner from eight yards out. Visiting coach, Jacek Zieliński will be relieved seeing his team not losing safe distance between themselves and improving GKS Belchatow.
The second game of the day, however, proved to be perhaps on the same level of pure football quality, but on quite different entertaining terms. The opening half was played in the quietness of the mourning home fans, as their two fellow supporters died last week on their way back from match in Gliwice, with many injured as well in the result of a bus crash. Emotions were easily felt in the silence of PGE Arena in Gdansk, but were not matched by the performance of players, who, in the words of Wisła’s winger, Kamil Kosowski “looked as if they didn’t want to play football at all”.
It was only slightly better in the second half with Lechia having better chances, as Buzała, Machaj and Ricardinho put more pressure on the visiting team. Wisła Krakow was supposed to be in the stage of constant improvement of form, yet Kulawik’s men failed to find their feet in Gdansk, barely threatening and looking more like a bunch of individuals again, not a team that has won four of the last six games. Pareiko was called to action by Machaj and Pietrowski but it was otherwise poor effort from sides that are known of their friendship.
Zagłębie Lubin 2-3 (1-0) Ruch Chorzów
Adrian Błąd 10, 54 – Đorđe Čotra 52 (s), Łukasz Janoszka 55, Jakub Smektała 90
Lechia Gdansk 0-0 Wisła Krakow
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