Lechia Gdansk loses points home, Arka with another defeat

Legia Warszawa is now only two points away from Lechia Gdansk. White and Greens collected a 1:1 home draw with Wisla Plock. On the other hand, Legia extended Arka’s bad results in Polish championship with a 1:2 win in Gdynia.

Lechia Gdansk – Wisla Plock (Monday, 11.03)

Lechia Gdansk didn’t do better than getting one point at home on Monday with Wisla Plock. This allowed Legia Warszawa, winners in Gdynia, to reduce the distance from the leader to two points.

After the last round defeat in Lubin by 2:1, White and Greens tried from the beginning to get closer to Wisla’s goal. They didn’t manage however to create any big chances for a goal in the first half. The away team ended up having the best chance in the first 45 minutes with a good shot by Varela.

Second half

In the 51^st minute, without having done much to deserve it, Wisla got the advantage after a fine free kick by Varela. Uryga headed the ball into the goal. This situation put much pressure on Lechia’s players.

Eight minutes later, uninspired Flavio Paixao wasn’t able to get advantage from a fine play and cross by Haraslin. The Portuguese headed over the bar when he could have done much better.

Already playing against 10 men, after Kuswik saw a red card in the 61^st minute after a second yellow card, Lechia benefited from a penalty. This happened after McGing brought down Sobiech. Paixao scored from the 11-meter mark and gave Lechia the 1:1 at the 77^th minute.

With 13 minutes to play plus added time (more than ten minutes), Lechia Gdansk didn’t get the goal they needed to keep the advantage over Legia. What’s more, it was Wisla that almost won the match when Varela served substitute Stevanovic for a shot well over the bar.

Arka Gdynia – Legia Warsaw

In Gdynia, Arka collected its fifth defeat in a row by losing at home to Legia Warszawa by 1:2 and is now only two points away from relegation line after nine games straight without a win and only two points out of 27.

After a first half to forget for both sides, Arka gave it all away in the first minutes of the second half. They allowed Warsaw’s team to get two goals in five minutes giving a gift to an almost inoperative Legia.

In the 59^th minute, and after Olczyk scared Legia’s goal, Warsaw’s team got the advantage with a superb shot by Carlitos with no chance for keeper Steinbors.

The bad state of the field didn’t get in the way when Kulenovic, with Cafu’s help, took the ball from Legia’s defense to Arka’s box for the 2:0. Gdynia’s defenders weren’t able to quickly get back to place allowing an easy counter-attack to Warsaw’s team although Olczyk almost took the ball away from Kulenovic before the goal.

In a great need for points, Arka’s hopes revived soon after. In the 67^th minute, Kolev forced keeper Majecki to a difficult save. Seconds later, Gdynia team reached the 1:2 after unmarked Jankowski headed the ball into the goal after a good cross from Janota.

Arka pushed forward with substitutes Zarandia and Siemaszko with Legia having another scare in the 77^th minute after a Janota’s free kick. Jankowski failed to head the ball properly for goal but still forced Kucharczyk to send the ball to corner kick.

Arka still had a good chance for drawing the match in the 83^rd minute when Socha shot over the bar after Jankowski’s header. It was Legia, however, that almost got the 1:3 after a quick counter-attack by Kulenovic. Steinbors got in the way and avoided what would be a successful shot by Kucharczyk.

Next games

Gdynia’s team, now one point from the relegation zone, faces Zaglebie Lubin in an away game on Sunday. On Saturday, Lechia plays at Sosnowiec to try to get its first win in three matches.