Match summary
I think it was a game of two very different halves. In the first half, we controlled the play well, and Piast didn’t create many chances. I also want to highlight Ivan’s beautiful goal. The second half was a completely different story – Piast created more opportunities and were unfortunate to lose in the very last action of the game. I also have to point out that the pitch was in poor condition, probably because of the weather in recent days. When you have two teams that want to play football on the ground, that kind of surface makes things much more difficult. Overall, it was a good spectacle, and of course, we’re happy with the final result. I told the players afterward that good teams always find a way to win, even when things don’t go their way. We weren’t at our best, but right now three points are what we needed most. On the other hand, I often compliment teams who lose in such circumstances, because we’ve been there ourselves – we’ve played very well and still lost. That’s football’s balance, and today that balance swung our way.
On the emotions of the final minutes
Everyone knows how emotional football can be. At the end of the match, it’s not only the players who are exhausted – I am too! Fortunately, the opponents were tired as well, and we managed to score. That’s the most beautiful moment in football – when you find the winning goal right at the death. I’ll definitely sleep well after a game like this.
On Bartłomiej Kłudka’s substitution
He had some problems already after the last match. Around the middle of the first half, he felt pain again. We actually wanted to take him off in the 35th minute, but he managed to play until halftime. Now our medical staff will have to perform a small miracle to get him ready for Sunday.
On moving Maks Diachuk to right-back
The problem is that we don’t have a natural right-back on the bench. Tomek Wójtowicz has played there before, but it’s not his natural position. Given the opponent and the specific conditions of the match, I wanted someone on that side who’s more physical and naturally defensive. That’s why I decided to move Maks there.
On the team’s setup and approach
Every time we pick a lineup, we look at what the opponent might offer. Especially in away matches, our priority is to stay organised defensively and avoid conceding early. Since Piast usually plays with three natural central midfielders, we also wanted to mirror that shape and stay compact. I think it worked well in the first half. Unfortunately, Tomek Neugebauer had a hamstring issue and had to come off, while Riki is still struggling with his back. Ivan was returning after a long injury, too.
Those issues contributed to the game opening up later on. The way Piast play meant that our best option was to stay compact, press in the middle block, and look for counterattacks.
Interestingly, we had less possession but still won the game. That’s becoming a clear trend in football now – teams with less of the ball often end up winning.
