Robert Lewandowski silenced some of his critics as he scored the only goal in Lech Poznań’s 1 - 0 win over current Ekstraklasa champions Wisła Kraków.
Lewandowski slipped between two defenders to collect Semir Stilić’s looping pass and coolly slide the ball under Wisła keeper Mariusz Pawełek.
In doing so he subjected Wisła to their first defeat of the season and reined back the runaway leaders. Wisła now sit only three points ahead of Ruch Chorzów, but still have a comfortable eight point cushion between them and Lech Poznań.
Lech Poznań 1 – 0 Wisła Kraków
Lech thoroughly deserved their victory as they dominated the game and made Wisła Kraków look uncomfortable for the first time this season.
Lech coach Jacek Zieliński was likely happy with the way his team's leaky defence tightened up to withstand the league’s top scorers, although he wasn’t so impressed with the way his inconsistent front men managed to convert only one of their glut of chances.
TV cameras showed him shouted “kurva mać,” a Polish expletive that loosely translates as “fucking hell”, on more than one occasion.
Lewandowski formed a one-man attack for Lech, although he was well supported by the excellent Sławomir Peszko on the right wing and Semir Stilić just behind him. These three created most of Lech’s chances, and Stilić and Peszko could have had Lech 2-0 up after four minutes if they hadn’t spooned and completely missed balls from eight yards out.
Lech had a penalty call turned down after seven minutes when Lewandowski was manhandled to the floor by Wisła’s Brazilian defender Marcelo. The incident led to a brief tête à tête between the two and initiated a miniature grudge match that Lewandowski eventually won with his 60th minute goal.
Wisła were completely out of the game for large periods, and only started to get involved towards the end of the first half when Piotr Ćwielong got through on goal only to have his shot blocked by the advancing Jasmin Burić.
The game was Burić’s debut, and the young Bosnian will be getting a lot more games after his fine performance. He made a lot of brave decisions, coming out to close down Wisła’s strikers on the few occasions they got through, and never put a foot wrong.
He also pulled off a spectacular 89th minute save from a Paweł Brożek half-volley.
Wisła frustrated
Wisła got increasingly rattled after Lech took the lead, notably Costa Rican midfielder Junior Diaz.
His studs made contact with Lewandowski’s knee at one point, but he wasn’t booked until he flew in with both feet off the ground to send Ivan Djurdević flying. It was a shocking tackle that could’ve seriously injured Djurdević and would’ve seen red in any league with half-decent referees.
Just as shockingly the commentator managed to mistake Diaz for the only other black player on the field, Marcelo, even though Diaz has dreadlocks and Marcelo’s hair is rather short.
Lech went on to waste a couple of chances to put the game to bed, notably in the 81st minute as Stilić and Lewandowski broke through and were faced with only two Wisła defenders. They somehow managed to get in each other’s way, and Stilić ended up driving a shot off Lewandowski and out for a goal kick.
Whether Lech can use this win as a platform to put together a decent run and a successful season is now to be seen. If they're to do so they’ll need to approach every game with the attitude they had against Wisła and stop dropping points against bottom half opposition. They’ll also need to keep Jasmin Burić between the sticks.
The rest
Legia Warszawa were the only team in the top five bar Wisła to slip up. Their 1-1 draw away at Piast Gliwice saw them drop into fourth place and rubbed salt in the gaping wound caused by their recent 2-0 loss to relegation candidates Jagiellonia Białystok.
Jagiellonia meanwhile came back down to earth with a 0-0 draw at bottom club KGHM Zagłębie Lubin. Elsewhere only 200 people showed up to watch title-contenders Polonia Bytom win 2-1 away at Cracovia.
Results
GKS Bełchatów 2 – 0 Śląsk Wrocław
Ruch Chorzów 1 - 0 Lechia Gdańsk
Cracovia Kraków 1 – 2 Polonia Bytom
Piast Gliwice 1 -1 Legia Warszawa
Polonia Warszawa 2 -1 Odra Wodzisław
Korona Kielce 1 - 2 Arka Gdynia
KGHM Zagłębie Lubin 0 - 0 Jagiellonia Białystok
Lech Poznań 1 – 0 Wisła Kraków
The top
Wisła Kraków - 25
Ruch Chorzów – 22
Polonia Bytom -20
Legia Warszawa - 18
Lech Poznań – 17