Lechia Gdańsk drew 2:2 in the Tricity Derby, coming back from a two-goal deficit in the second half. The away fixture in Matchday 23 of the PKO Ekstraklasa delivered four goals and plenty of emotions. Kacper Sezonienko and Ivan Zhelizko scored for the White-and-Greens, while Oskar Kubiak and Marc Navarro found the net for the hosts.
From the first whistle, the derby was played at high intensity, with neither side willing to ease into the contest. In the 7th minute, Arka capitalised on one of their first opportunities. The ball was laid off outside the penalty area to Oskar Kubiak, who struck it first time into the top corner. The shot was so precise that Lechia’s goalkeeper had no chance to intervene.
Lechia tried to respond quickly. First, Bujar Pllana connected with a header from a cross into the box, but the ball sailed over the bar. Moments later, a quick attacking move ended with a low effort from Tomáš Bobček, which was comfortably saved by the home goalkeeper. In the 16th minute, Bobček found the net again, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
As the first half progressed, the White-and-Greens increased their pressing and patiently built positional attacks. Long-range attempts from Pllana and Zhelizko lacked accuracy. Lechia’s best chance before the break came in stoppage time, when Bobček headed from close range after a cross, but an Arka defender cleared the ball off the line. The hosts went into halftime with a one-goal advantage.
A rapid response after the break
The second half started in the worst possible way for Lechia. Shortly after the restart, Marc Navarro fired a low shot from the edge of the box. With his view obstructed, Lechia’s goalkeeper was unable to react in time, and Arka doubled their lead to make it 2:0.
It seemed the hosts were taking full control, but Lechia responded swiftly and decisively. In the 54th minute, Kacper Sezonienko received the ball near the edge of the penalty area and placed a precise shot inside the far post to pull one back. The goal clearly boosted the team’s confidence.
Just a few minutes later, the visitors equalised. Ivan Zhelizko unleashed a long-range effort, and the ball took a deflection that completely wrong-footed the Arka goalkeeper before ending up in the net. In a short span of time, Lechia erased the two-goal deficit and restored balance to the match.
The final half-hour brought intense battles and open play from both sides. The hosts came close to regaining the lead when one of their players struck the post from close range. The game then became more fragmented, with VAR checks and a growing number of fouls disrupting the flow.
In the closing stages, Lechia spent more time in the opposition half, pushing for a winner. Four minutes were added on, but despite several crosses and set pieces, neither side managed to score the decisive goal.
Arka Gdynia – Lechia Gdańsk 2:2 (1:0)
1:0 Kubiak 6’
2:0 Navarro 46’
2:1 Sezonienko 54’
2:2 Zhelizko 58’
Arka Gdynia: Węglarz – Szota, Hermoso, Gojny – Navarro (81’ Kocyła), Jakubczyk (81’ Nguiamba), Perea, Kubiak – Rusyn (87’ Szysz), Espiau (72’ V. Gutkovskis), Kerk
Lechia Gdańsk: Paulsen – Wójtowicz, Pllana, Rodin, Vojtko – Mena, Zhelizko, Kapić, Cirković (68’ Neugebauer) – Sezonienko (77’ Viunnyk), Bobček