The home team’s lineup and was short of Cleber, who was replaced by Marcelo. On the other hand, the following national team representatives played from the very outset – Paweł Brożek, Rafał Boguski, and Wojciech Łobodziński. Wisła was heavily favored to win, but Piast managed to carry out quite a few threatening counterattacks. Such was the case in the 21st minute when Piotr Prędota, following a two-on-one play, received the ball at the 16-meter mark; however, his shot on Mariusz Pawełek’s goal was off-target.

Wisła’s players remained on their opponent’s half of the pitch for sustained periods of time, but were unable to cap off their plays with an effective on-target shot. In the 23rd minute of the match Marek Zieńczuk rushed into Piast’s penalty area only to be knocked down by Marcin Bojarski. The referee, however, did not call a penalty shot for the White Star. Ten minutes later Rafał Boguski passed the ball to Radosław Sobolewski, who attempted to place the ball inside the goal with a flying header, just barely missing the target.

Maciej Skorża’s players finally scored a goal in extra time at the end of the first half. Following a free kick by Wisła, the ball deflected off the defensive wall and was intercepted by Paweł Brożek, who outplayed Bojarski in the penalty area and sent the ball on to Rafał Boguski, who scored his fourth goal of the season.

During the second half of the match Wisła’s players gave their opponents more of a margin to operate in, but the footballers from Gliwice were unable to even the score. They carried out their best play in the 58th minute, when Marcin Folc moved into an open position, with Marcelo intervening just in time to prevent him from getting off a shot. The home team came closer to scoring but ultimately lacked luck. One play ended in one of Piast’s defenders clearing the ball from just in front of the goal line. In another squandered opportunity Patryk Małecki passed the ball to Sobolewski at the 11-meter mark in the 73rd minute of the match, but the Wisła midfielder’s shot was off-target.

Six minutes before the end of the match Paweł Brożek carried out an individual play – after passing a few of Piast’s players he charged into the penalty area, but Grzegorz Kasprzik was able to defend the striker’s shot. In spite of this, Paweł Brożek was rewarded for his patience in extra time. “Brozio” received a pass from Patryk Małecki in the penalty area and scored his seventh goal of the season with a header.

The White Star chalked up full points for the match. Wisła already has a total of 20 points nine rounds into the season, two more than Polonia Warszawa and Legia, who drew their matches this past weekend.

Wisła Kraków – Piast Gliwice 2:0 (1:0)
1:0 Boguski 45+2
2:0 Paweł Brożek 90+2

Wisła Kraków: Pawełek – Baszczyński, Głowacki, Marcelo, Piotr Brożek – Łobodziński (65’ Małecki), Sobolewski, Cantoro, Zieńczuk (65’ Diaz) – Paweł Brożek, Boguski (84’ Niedzielan)

Piast Gliwice: Kasprzik – Kaszowski, Banaś, Glik, Michniewicz – Bojarski (77’ Nowak), Muszalik, Krzycki, Radzewicz – Prędota (61’ Koczon), Folc (66’ Chylaszek)

Yellow cards: Sobolewski, Cantoro (Wisła) – Michniewicz (Piast)
Referee: Zdzisław Bakaluk

Photo. Maks Michalczak
Wisła Kraków SA Press Office