Polonia Warszawa faced Górnik Łęczna in the 21st round of the Betclic 1. Liga, securing a 2-1 victory at their home ground. This win brings the Duma Stolicy only two points away from the playoff zone.
The match began with Górnik Łęczna showing impressive form, dominating the early minutes. An outstanding intervention by Polonia's goalkeeper Mateusz Kuchta came just seven minutes in, denying Marko Roginić's close-range shot. The visitors made their intentions clear by scoring the first goal of the game. Damian Warchoł was the man of the moment, taking advantage of Polonia's defense. He sprinted onto a through ball, going one-on-one with the goalkeeper and skillfully placing the ball past him to open the scoring.
Polonia's response to the early setback was quick and decisive. Just 35 minutes in, Łukasz Zjawiński leveled the playing field, scoring after some chaos inside the penalty box from a rebound, which found the back of Branislav Pindroch's net. This equalizer revitalized Polonia's momentum, putting them back on track.
Only two minutes later, the match took another turn as the referee pointed to the penalty spot after Zjawiński was fouled. Referee Damian Krumplewski consulted the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, which confirmed the penalty decision and showed Górnik's Filip Szabaciuk a straight red card for the foul. Zjawiński calmly converted the penalty, ensuring Polonia went to halftime leading 2-1.
After the break, Polonia dominated the game, dominating possession and creating several chances. They relentlessly pressured Górnik Łęczna, causing significant problems for the visitors' defense. The most threatening moment for Polonia came when Krzysztof Koton's shot struck the crossbar, showcasing their offensive prowess.
Despite being down to ten men, Górnik Łęczna continued to fight and nearly equalized again. Przemysław Banaszak had what seemed to be a clear chance to nod one home but narrowly missed the target, ensuring the score remained unchanged.
With the clock winding down, Polonia made several substitutions to maintain their advantage, bringing on players like Marcel Predenkiewicz, Marcin Kluska, and Mateusz Młyński. Meanwhile, it was also the first appearance for Kacper Śpiewak after recovering from injury, which added positive energy to the team.
After the final whistle, Polonia celebrated their hard-fought victory, securing all three points at home. The team will now prepare for their upcoming match against Puszcza Niepołomice on Thursday at 18:00, this time contesting the quarter-finals of the Polish Cup. Tickets are available for supporters, encouraging strong attendance since season passes will not apply to this match.
Polonia Warszawa's line-up for the match included: Kuchta – Terpiłowski, Grudniewski, Kołodziejski, Olszewski, Poczobut, Vega (75. Predenkiewicz), Koton (75. Wojciechowski), Wasin (84. Kluska), Durmus (85. Młyński), Zjawiński (90. Śpiewak).