Lech Poznań-Sporting Braga 1:0. Lech Wins In Winter Olympics.

February 18th, 2011 | by: tomasz |

rudnevs Lech’s dream like Europa League run may continue even further. Once again, as in the game against Juventus, Kolejorz grabbed a good result in horrible weather. Just as in the previous case, the game was a rather dull one and hard to watch (especially after the extraordinary Arsenal vs. Barca on Wednesday). In the second leg the Lech players will need to show more quality, not only count on the weather conditions.

Lech Poznań-Sporting Braga 1:0 (Rudnevs 72′)
Lech: Krzysztof Kotorowski – Marcin Kikut, Bartosz Bosacki, Manuel Arboleda, Seweryn Gancarczyk – Bartosz Ślusarski (46′ Mateusz Możdżeń), Ivan Djurdjević, Siergiej Krivets, Semir Stilić, Jakub Wilk (53′ Jacek Kiełb) – Artjoms Rudnevs (84′ Vojo Ubiparip)

So far, everything has been developing perfectly for Lech in the Europa League. Great rivals, fantastic games and fantastic goals by Rudnevs, Arboleda or Możdżeń. The players have been performing above their potential and the team was extremely lucky at the same time. In the first play off round, the lady luck smiled again for Kolejorz. It’s because they drew a team for which the Europa League clearly isn’t the top priority. Braga sold some of their best players (e.g. Matheus) in the winter transfer window and didn’t even use all of their top players against Lech (Alan started on the bench). For them, the game against the Poles is like any other, for Kolejorz it’s a matter of life and death. Still, this difference in attitude wasn’t clearly seen during the game. Firstly, this time Lech didn’t perform any better than usually in the Ekstraklasa, they didn’t rise to the occasion. Secondly, there is slightly more quality in the Braga side; they were better tactically organized, they were more comfortable in possession and have more skillful players (Hugo Viana would be a leading star in any Polish team). Braga only lacked the decisive pass and a finishing move to earn a better result. As a result of Braga’s technical superiority and the awful weather conditions Lech employed the only strategy possible: long, direct ball forward in direction of the never tired Artjoms Rudnevs. For most part of the game it was extremely frustrating and made it painful to watch what was happening on the pitch, but it proved an efficient strategy nevertheless. Siergiej Krivets’ great interception and a perfect pass enabled Rudnevs to score his fifth goal in the competition. Just as in the Poland vs. Norway match: the result was shaped by one flash of genius, one great move (both Krivets’ pass and Rudnevs’ finishing). Just as a week ago, the result is better than the style of play. However, Lech will have to show much better organization and quality if they are to hold Braga in the second leg. Next week, we’ll see a proper game of football, not a snow fight.

It’s hard to make any serious conclusions after a game in such harsh conditions, but it seems that Jose Maria Bakero was unable to find a proper replacement for Sławomir Peszko. Bartosz Ślusarski and Jakub Wilk started on the wings and they both were substituted early in the second half. None of them gave even a glimpse of what Peszko was capable of in the European matches. In my opinion, players like Wilk and Ślusarski are good when you want to finish in the middle of the Ekstraklasa table, not when you want to earn a name for yourself in Europe. What’s worse, Jacek Kiełb, a player I was counting on to replace Peszkin, started the game on the bench and didn’t impress a lot when he entered the field. It’s not a positive sign that such a promising player lost a place in the starting lineup to the likes of Wilk and Ślusarski. Finally, I hope Smuda watched this game and decided to never again call up Seweryn Gancarczyk. Having him on the team is just too much risk: he doesn’t think enough, kick the ball forward without a clue and gives away far too many free kicks. He’s usually late with his tackles and is far too aggressive. I felt much more confident with Luis Henriquez in the starting lineup. I hope to see him or Hubert Wołąkiewicz on the left back position in the second leg.

Highlights:

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Comments

By Peter | February 18th, 2011 at 8:57 am

You are joking, right? Europa League isn’t important for Braga? Champions League was the biggest thing in the history of Braga! They won only 3 games (two against Partizan) and were trashed by Arsenal 6-0 in London. They do care about Europa League and it is Braga who were lucky that they finished 2nd in Portuguese league.
For Lech Poznan Braga is just another obstacle that it needs to overcome, and no one in Poland considered it much of a threat to Lech.
The Portuguese side is in the middle of season while for Lech this was their first important game in over 2 months!

By Peter | February 18th, 2011 at 8:59 am

The players have been performing above their potential?

Geez.. who writes this stuff :O

By Peter | February 18th, 2011 at 9:16 am

Peter, you seriously think that Lech should beat Braga?

By tomasz | February 18th, 2011 at 9:30 am

@Peter
Yes, Lech is performing above their potential in the Europa League. Just have a look at their place in the Ekstraklasa table. I’ve watched almost all Lech games this season and I assure you that there was much difference between their European and league performances.

If Braga concentrated on Europa League so much they wouldn’t let go or rest their starting players. Only four players that started in their win against Arsenal started yesterday against Lech.

http://www.soccerway.com/matches/2010/11/23/europe/uefa-champions-league/sporting-braga/arsenal-football-club/1015141/

http://www.soccerway.com/matches/2011/02/17/europe/uefa-cup/kks-lech-poznan/sporting-braga/1058616/

Finally, Braga not a threat for Lech? A team from Champions League? I think Braga has much more right to consider themsleves favourites than Lech.

By Peter | February 18th, 2011 at 10:11 am

Do I think that Lech should beat Braga? No, I don’t think Lech deserved the victory yesterday. Lech should be grateful to Krivets for that one perfect pass to Rudnevs.. but I don’t think Braga was a much better team for that matter. The game was rather chaotic thanks to the weather and very poor pitch condition.. and it was barely watchable!
And yes, Lech are not at the top of Ekstraklasa table but it doesn’t mean that it performs above its potential in Europa League. It simply means that it performs under expectations in the domestic league which may be due to the fact that half of the teams in Ekstraklasa don’t want to play football/can’t play football at a decent level.. and Lech players are just not motivated enough for such teams.
As to Braga players.. some of them were sold in the last transfer window and some are injured and couldn’t play. Alan started at the bench probably because Braga simply underestimated Lech. Polish football isn’t exactly highly rated in Portugal..

By tomasz | February 18th, 2011 at 10:44 am

It depends how you look at it. In my opinion, Lech isn’t as poor as they are in the Ekstraklasa and isn’t as good as they are in the Europa League. If they were, they would have no competition in Poland, even without proper motivation. I don’t like underestimating our rivals by Polish fans; I remember a year and a half ago how Lech fans were all happy that they drew Club Brugge. Turned out the Belgians were much better team and Lech was lucky to survive to the penalties. Moreover, remember that Lech had huge problems with Inter Baku and got easily eliminated by Sparta Prague. Which Lech is the real one? Hard to say. Is Braga just another obstacle? No, it’s one of the most important games in Lech’s history. I don’t think Braga officials rate this game as much.

Posted from Poland

By Peter | February 18th, 2011 at 11:04 am

You are right, they’re not as good as it would seem from Europa League games. This is partially because teams like Manchester City and Juventus don’t really give their best in this competition.. and Lech was very lucky it managed to beat City in Poznan..
Lech isn’t even close to the best teams in Europe but it certainly can beat a team like Braga.

By bigcmos | February 18th, 2011 at 1:52 pm

#1 – Braga is a solid side from Portugal, yes they got rid of some players in the transfer window and many of their other starters out due to injury. So, I am sorry @Tomasz but you cant say that they are not fielding a strong team because they have quality players all over the pitch.

#2 – Lech is being critisized as having a poor first half, what do you expect when the past several weeks were spent playing half ass friendlies. We have also picked up two injuries that are key and werent at our fullest potential. Losing Peszko was huge as you can tell Sluraski and Wilk cannot do the job.

#3 – Lech picked up a huge win and did not conceed, I believe the railwaymen played well especially defensivley. I really hope we are match fit after this weekends game and next week. We will be more prepared!

#4 – Lech have overachieved they have done something extraordinary and are putting Poland on the map one team at a time. People can talk all the shit they want about stronger teams fielding their 2nd squads like Juve and City. But, hold on one player from both Juve and City are worth more than our entire Poznan squad. Thats the beauty of soccer anything can happen.

#5 – If Lech play to their potential next week and gain some form and fitness in the next couple of days which is not easy will be a key to their success. I believe we will counter attack and hold the ball in the midfield I also think we will control possession and take any counter attack chances we can. If this goes to plan I see a 1-1 draw in Portugal and us progressing.

Heres hoping for the best!!!

By bigcmos | February 18th, 2011 at 2:25 pm

@Peter to be one of the best in the World you need a transfer kitty that is more than 4 million. You cant even compare Lech to big clubs its not even a fair comparison, people are talking about how lucky they are – they out played teams give them the fucking credit.

If lech and other Ekstraklasa teams had the money some of the other teams in Europe have then we could be big in Europa standards.

By marcin | February 18th, 2011 at 7:47 pm

Hey Tomasz, I guess you haven’t noticed but that win put Lech in the top 100 European clubs by Uefa coefficient points.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method4/trank2011.html

By paradowski | February 18th, 2011 at 7:58 pm

I do agree with Radek and others that Lech was rusty. But I also didn’t have any expectations, so it is easy for me to just be positive, …for the times when they did win the ball and that they did hold their own against good competition. Next game will likely be more a challenge but I remain hopeful and like their chances to move on.

Here’s a question, I’m sure a silly question to football purists, but anyway: Do you think a Polish team like Lech Poznan, being a more successful EK team with fairly good size stadium (of course they can’t even provide enough security) but: ever any consideration to build a stadium that can be covered, so they can play in the winter and stay in form? In the US the money-makers (i.e.NFL) would build a roof on the stadium and say “game on, bring in the fans”

Posted from United States

By paradowski | February 18th, 2011 at 8:09 pm

@marcin, interesting — surprised Dortmund is at 84, thought they would be higher than that.

Posted from United States

By tomasz | February 19th, 2011 at 4:20 am

@bigcmos
I haven’t written that Braga is not a strong team, I just feel that Europa League is not their top priority. It seems it’s one of those clubs that promotes the players and sells them with profit, not a one that keeps their best in order to win trophies. But, I’m not an expert on Portuguese football and Braga players, it’s just my opinion.
@paradowski
Lech could build a covered stadium, but they would have nobody to play with. We would need all Ekstraklasa teams to have covered stadiums in order to play in winter conditions. Without that, playing football in Poland in December, January and February doesn’t make much sense. The bigger problem in my opinion is that we lose a month in summer, when the conditions are perfect both for players and fans, due to season break. I would seriously think about introducing a spring-autumn season schedule, just like in Russia.

Posted from Poland

By tomasz | February 19th, 2011 at 4:24 am

@marcin
This is very important. With good ranking Lech will be seeded in the final rounds of Europa League qualifications, maybe even in the CL qualifications.
@paradowski
The ranking is based on European competition, so Dortmund’s great local form this season doesn’t influence it.

Posted from Poland

By Wejher | February 19th, 2011 at 6:16 am

I’m going to wade in to this debate.
I dont think Lech are playing above their potential,I think they are playing TO their potential. It is impossible to play better than your potential same as a cup cant hold any more water than its potential. It is a case of them under performing or being under motivated in the domestic league. At the same time teams are under estimating them and paying the price for it.
I remember watching England Play Poland in a Qualifier in 1996 and the commentator saying that Polish football was 10 years behind English football. The BANG! Marek Citko puts us 1-0 up and Nowak was running rings around the English midfield. We went on to lose that game after some dubious refereeing decisions but the level of our play that game showed that at the end of the day its 11 men against 11 and while skill plays a factor determination and motivation can play just as big a role.
I think Braga will take Lech more seriously now but I think Lech hold a bigger advantage then Braga realize. Braga will have to play attacking football to overturn the result which plays straight into Lechs counter attacking game plan. I’m going to say 1-0 to lech possibly a draw.

Posted from Poland

By Radek | February 19th, 2011 at 11:07 am

Correct me if I am wrong, but even a 1-2 loss in Braga, will put Lech through thanks to an away goal, right?

Regarding covered stadiums and the NFL, they play on artificial turf if I am not mistaken, something they try to avoid doing in the European soccer leagues, so this is another argument against a covered stadium.

Also, Lech play against Polonia Warsaw this weekend in the Polish Cup, so this will give them more game time to work on their form before the revenge game in Braga.

By paradowski | February 19th, 2011 at 3:11 pm

Yes NFL is mostly on turf. I’m not really in favor of covered stadiums. I rather enjoy the snow games. But just brought it up for discussion. It would be nice though if there was even one covered stadium where there could be some kind of winter cup in Poland during the break.

@ Wejher, that is an excellent argument/description for playing to potential.

Posted from United States

By adas | February 19th, 2011 at 3:12 pm

Radek, you are correct. One away goal for Lech would put them through even with a 2-1 loss.

Wejher, a cup is not a person or collective group of people. A person’s potential can change. A group’s can change more easily. Just as your potential to do things has changed since you were 5. The team, in theory, should get better with each win. Thus, their potential grows. Think about it. At the group stage their potential was considered by many to be no better than 3rd place, if that. As of today, it is very likely that they should advance to the next stage of the Europa League. They’ve lost some players, but have a new manager. These also effect their potential. So, Lech is not a glass. And even a glass’s potential can change. Let’s say the glass chips, or that the top half falls off. Potential is not a stationary figure but changes with various facts.

By Hieronim | February 19th, 2011 at 7:52 pm

Jelen’s finish today was pure technique… hopefully he’s going to get his form back.

http://www.footytube.com/video/auxerre-ac-arles-feb19-73658

Posted from United States

By jerry | February 21st, 2011 at 12:19 am

Wow, Ekstraklasa Fantasy Football has began. Its looks great cool.

http://polandsoccer.blogspot.com/2011/02/sign-up-for-polandsoccers-fantasy.html

Posted from United States

By marty | February 21st, 2011 at 12:30 am

Salamon scored in Foggia’s 4-0 win this weekend.

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