In May this year, Jagiellonia Białystok and Śląsk Wrocław finished the 2023/24 season with 63 points in the first two places in the table. The championship went to Podlasie due to better direct matches, but the inhabitants of Wrocław also had plenty of reasons to be happy, because after the desperate fight for relegation in the previous two seasons, the silver was like gold.
Śląsk and Jagiellonia in the table as on the map
Half a year has passed, and these clubs are very far apart today, not only on the map. Jagiellonia has remained at the forefront and is still fighting for the highest goals. Śląsk sold Erik Exposito and Nahuel Leiva, brought in a bunch of strange players in their place, none of which really worked out, and won one of fifteen league matches. Coach Jacek Magiera and sports director David Balda paid for the demolition with their jobs. They were replaced by the coach of the third league reserves, Michał Hetel (temporarily) and former club player Rafał Grodzicki (permanently).
However, Jagiellonia was the favorite, and perhaps even the biggest one in the history of the champion-runner-up clashes. Jagiellonia, undefeated in twelve consecutive matches in all competitions, whose triumph over Silesia could even make it the league leader after sixteen rounds. However, the new broom effect and the logic of the Ekstraklasa had to be overcome. And these are serious opponents.
Śląsk surprised with its lineup. Jagiellonia too, apparently
Coach Hetel made a big mess in the starting lineup, because the attacking line, including the least surprising Piotr Samc-Talar, consisted of Arnau Ortiz and Mateusz Żukowski. The Spaniard was a deep substitute for Jacek Magiera (187 minutes in eight matches), and the Pole is usually the right swingman. However, for a long time it seemed that there might be a method to this madness.
Śląsk looked really good in the first half. What's more, in the 15th minute they even scored, namely Petr Schwarz. The problem is that it was offside. However, what was delayed did not escape. In the 33rd minute, Samiec-Talar passed to Ortiz, and the Spaniard, without thinking much, fired a great shot straight into the hosts' goal. You can see how much he needed it, because he was happy as if he had just won at least the Polish championship.
The Wrocław team was leading sensationally, but deservedly so. Jagiellonia had to pull itself together and did it quickly. Already in the 39th minute, they launched a quick attack, ending with a not very strong but very precise shot by Lamine Diaby-Fadiga, which led to the equalizer in the first half. A really interesting first half.
Jesus Imaz, or the Białystok insurance policy
After the break, Śląsk scored again, but again it was offside. Żukowski was slightly late with the pass to Samc-Talar and the referee could not recognize the former's goal. Denis Churlinov looked good for Jagiellonia and tested Rafał Leszczyński with a dangerous shot in the 64th minute.
Overall, however, this match went like a breeze for the hosts. However, in such situations, “Jaga” usually uses two words. Jesus. Imaz. In the 70th minute, the national champions carried out a great action. Cezary the Pole to Churlinov, who consciously passed the ball to Imaz in the penalty area, and the Spaniard cold-bloodedly defeated Leszczyński. It all happened too quickly for the defenders of Silesia.
Silesia was finally won, not lost
It seemed that the Polish champions would bring this victory. However, Silesia did not intend to give up. In the 83rd minute, Jakub Jezierski was very close, but from a few meters he shot almost straight at the goalkeeper. He had an opportunity to make a correction in the 88th minute and then he made no mistake. Sylvester Jasper's shot was saved by Abramowicz with his header, giving the Polish runners-up the equalizer.
It was the young midfielder's first goal in the Ekstraklasa, but how valuable it was. He gave Śląsk a draw, which will not take them out of last place in the table, but in the current situation, the point won on the territory of the fast Polish champion does not look like something that the inhabitants of Wrocław should complain about. Jagiellonia, on the other hand, can kick themselves because all they had to do was maintain concentration until the end and they would have been the leader of the table. And so they may even lose the second place to Raków Częstochowa.
Jagiellonia Białystok – Śląsk Wrocław 2:2
Goals: Diaby-Fadiga 39', Imaz 70' – Ortiz 34', Jezierski 88'
Jagiellonia: Abramowicz – Kovacik, Dieguez, Skrzypczak, Moutinho (49th Pole) – Nene (66th Nguiamba), Kubicki (66th Listkowski) – Hansen (66th Villar), Imaz, Churlinov – Diaby-Fadiga
Coach: Adrian Siemieniec
Silesia: Leszczyński – Szota (78. Macenko), Paluszek, Petkow, Bejger – Pokorny, Baluta (78. Jezierski), Schwarz – Samiec-Talar, Żukowski, Ortiz (69. Jasper)
Coach: Michał Hetel
Judge: Karol Arys (Szczecin)
Yellow cards: Pokorny (Silesia)