Lech Poznań have claimed their first point in this season’s Europa League after drawing 1-1 with Sunderland at their home stadium in the third round of the league phase, according to Polsat Sport.
The Polish champions entered the fixture desperate to turn around a dismal start to their European campaign, having suffered consecutive 4-0 defeats to Crystal Palace away and Bayer Leverkusen at home. The clash with Sunderland offered Niels Frederiksen’s side an opportunity to finally get off the mark.
The hosts found themselves behind within two minutes when a careless pass from goalkeeper Mateusz Lis to Michał Gurgul was intercepted by Nilson Angulo just outside the penalty area. The Sunderland player quickly fed Timur Tuterow, who headed the visitors into an early lead.
End-to-end action fails to produce goals before half-time
The opening 45 minutes saw both teams create multiple scoring opportunities. Daniel Hakans squandered Lech’s clearest chance, sending the ball wide of the post when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka tried his luck from distance, forcing Lis into a save, though Malick Fofana could only hit the woodwork with the rebound. Despite the attacking intent from both sides, the score remained 1-0 at the interval.
After the break, manager Regis Le Bris’s Sunderland side intensified their pressure with a series of determined attacks. The home defence held firm, with Lis producing several crucial saves. Gradually, Lech began to assert themselves, with substitute Leo Bengtsson seeing an early opportunity go begging after a wayward strike.
Bengtsson breaks deadlock with first European goal
The Swedish midfielder made amends in the 71st minute. Following a corner and subsequent scramble in the box, Bengtsson reacted quickest to the loose ball, firing a low shot into the net to level the scores. The goal marked not only his redemption but also Lech’s first strike in the current Europa League edition.
Moments later, the home side nearly completed the turnaround, but Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs produced two outstanding saves, first denying Patrik Walemark before blocking Gurgul’s follow-up attempt.
The draw leaves Lech with one point from three matches in the league phase. Their next European fixture will see them face Benfica, the Portuguese side where Polish international Jakub Kamiński currently plays.
What this means for Poles in the UK
For Polish football supporters living in Britain, Lech Poznań’s performance offers a glimmer of hope after a difficult start to their European campaign. The point gained against English opposition Sunderland, currently competing in the Championship, demonstrates that Polish clubs can compete at this level despite resource disadvantages compared to wealthier Western European sides.
Polish fans in the UK following the Europa League can watch Lech’s upcoming fixture against Benfica, which will feature a direct connection to British-based Polish interest through Kamiński. The match provides an opportunity to see how Poland’s domestic champions measure up against one of Europe’s traditional powerhouses. With the league phase format offering more fixtures than previous tournament structures, Lech still have opportunities to progress, though they will likely need to win multiple remaining matches to advance to the knockout rounds.