Nine. She won so many matches in a row Legion Warsaw with Zagłębie Lubin. No matter where, in Lubin or the capital, since December 2019, the “Copper” team has had no way to even draw with Legia. What were the chances that this would change today? Considering the form of both teams, it's not very big. The Warsaw team did not lose any of the last four matches, and in the Polish Cup they confidently eliminated ŁKS Łódź (3-0).
Zagłębie, Legia's favorite rival
Zagłębie, in turn, did not win a single victory in the last four matches. The last time they triumphed was in the Lower Silesia derby against Śląsk Wrocław (3-0), but it was on November 4, i.e. over a month ago. They were eliminated from the Polish Cup in the 1/8 finals, losing after a football war to Pogoń Szczecin (3:4).
Legia one, Legia two, Legia three. Express knockout
The beginning of the match had a good pace, even with the slight dominance of Zagłębie, which, however, was unable to convert it into a goal. And what the hosts couldn't do, the guests did. In the 16th minute, the Lubin player saved the post after the intervention of… Bartosz Kopacz. Legion she didn't score a goal against her opponent, so she took matters into her own hands. Just a moment later, Sergio Barcia converted Kacper Chodyna's precise cross from a corner kick, giving the guests the lead with his header. Dominik Hładun is largely to blame here, as he absolutely should not have allowed this shot.
This hit gave Legia a boost, and it didn't take long to see the results. In the 26th minute, the guests received a penalty for handball by Damian Dąbrowski. Referee Wojciech Myć didn't catch it during the game, but after VAR analysis he awarded the penalty spot, probably used by Bartosz Kapustka. Little? Legia, yes. In the 31st minute, Ryoya Morishita has plenty of space in the penalty area and with a precise shot to the far post makes it 3-0. Half an hour was enough for Legia to turn off the light in Zagłębie. Not that the hosts bothered much.
Scoring goals instead of your opponents
It could have been even higher before the break, but Kapustka cleared the bar. Zagłębie could also have given itself at least a glimmer of hope when, in the 41st minute, Igor Orlikowski should have taken advantage of the mistake of Legia's goalkeeper (he missed the cross). He should have, but he missed just a tiny bit. Thus, we had a fully deserved 3-0 at the break.
Right after that, we had two shots at the goal instead of at it. First, in the 46th minute, Marc Gual hit the crossbar of Hładun's goal. Five minutes later, Dawid Kurminowski hit the post in an excellent situation. Overall, the beginning of the second half was crazy, because in the 53rd minute Chodyna wasted a one-on-one situation with Hładun.
To Zagłębie's credit, they tried to somehow threaten Legia. Dawid Kurminowski had two good opportunities, but he wasted both of them. Jan Ziółkowski hit the crossbar (for the fifth time in this match!). Own goal, let's add.
Legia took advantage of the competition's mistakes
As the players preferred to hit the goal instead of hitting it in the second half, the result remained unchanged. Legia beat Zagłębie for the tenth time in a row, taking advantage of the mistakes of Lech, Cracovia, Jagiellonia and Raków. Thanks to this, they will end 2024 as the fourth team in the league table, three points behind the podium and six points behind the leader Lech Poznań. Zagłębie did not win for the fourth time in a row league and is only two points ahead of the relegation zone.
Zagłębie Lubin – Legia Warszawa 0:3
- Goals: Barcia 17', Kapustka 26' (W), Morishita 31
- Basin: Hładun – Kopacz, Ławniczak, Orlikowski – Kłudka (85. Kusztal), Dąbrowski, Makowski (46. Dziewatowski), Mróz, Wdowiak – Pieńko (65. Mikołajewski), Kurminowski
- Coach: Marcin Włodarski
- Legion: Kobylak – Wszołek, Kapuadi, Barcia (62. Ziółkowski), Kun – Kapustka (85. Goncalves), Augustyniak (46. Celhaka), Morishita – Chodyna (78. Szczepaniak), Gual (78. Alfarela), Luquinhas
- Coach: Goncalo Feio
- Judge: Wojciech Myc
- Yellow cards: Orlikowski (Zagłębie) – Barcia, Kun (Legia)