There was a added time at the National Stadium, but Legia's fans, her reserve players and the training staff have already celebrated their success. “The cup is ours” – sang the capital's fans when their team led 4: 2 and was a second from 21 in the history of success in the Polish Cup.
Although in the added time Pogoń Szczecin scored a goal at 3: 4, this event could not stop. After the uneven, disappointed season, Legia won the Polish Cup and saved not only these games, but maybe the following years.
When the Warsaw residents breathed a sigh of relief and was intoxicated for a moment, Kamil Grosicki was broken on the other side. He, the pupil of Pogoń, was to lead her to the first trophy in history. And like a year ago, it ended in a powerful disappointment.
Legia hindered her life
Legia has done a lot to make the task to make the most difficult on Friday. In the first half, when she led one goal and dominated on the pitch, she should score a goal at 2: 0. She should, but from the penalty kick, Marc Gual scored hopelessly and the ball was bounced to Valentin Cojocar.
Just before the break, Danijel Loncar scored a 1: 1 goal, but immediately after Legia gave Ryoya Morishita. And when in the 64th minute Ilja Szkurin scored a 3: 1 goal, it seemed to be after the match. But Legia could not reach Pogoń, but gave her oxygen, because only three minutes she gave herself to score at 3: 2.
The pursuit was attacked, she had several opportunities to even out. When Kacper Chodyna wasted a good opportunity, it seemed that fate was finally smiling at Pogoń and gave her a chance to write a beautiful story about returning to this finale.
Even after Ruben Vinagre's goal at 4: 2, Legia allowed Pogoń fans to believe again, losing a goal in the added time of the game. But the Kolendowicz team lacked time. The pursuit was left with nothing again, and Legia won the 21st Polish Cup in history. This is a trophy that in normal circumstances fans would treat as a consolation prize, but this season it was of great importance to Legia.
Because it was about something much more important than expanding the display case with cups. Legia was playing for a promotion to qualify for the Europa League, where she can earn her necessary money. These will allow the team to be rebuilt, which disappointed this season. Because this championship, not the Polish Cup was Legia's priority. But there will be time for summaries. For now, Legia and her supporters have a deserved moment of joy in this uneven season.
Problems at the entrance to the National Stadium
The Polish Cup final had everything. Six goals, dramatic changes in the action, a great setting prepared by the fans of both teams. It is a pity that not all fans could watch this meeting from the first minute.
Because, as almost every year, the Polish Cup final is not only exciting matches and great fixtures, but also great problems with entering the fans to the National Stadium. Something that does not take place during the matches of the Polish national team happened again on Friday afternoon.
This time it met Legia supporters who went to the National Stadium at 12:00 from the stadium at Łazienkowska. All this to fill the sectors for one of the goals 45 minutes before the start of the meeting. But it failed.
There were Dantean scenes under the stadium, and the fans published more terrifying videos in social media. Shortly after the match, it is difficult to explain what and why it failed when letting Legia supporters, but this is a compromising and unacceptable situation. Once again.
The capital fans slowly gathered behind the goal, which Kacper Tobias was guarding in the first half. Until everyone entered the stadium, the legionaries did not doping. They only started in the 25th minute with a spectacular binding.
Grosicki did not play as he should
– I think we lost the previous final in our heads before the match. At the beginning of the adventure with the Cup, the trainer said that we have unfinished business and we want to approach it anyway. It is a beautiful story that we have returned to the National Stadium – said Kamil Grosicki at the Thursday press conference.
For the pupil of Pogoń, the Friday finale, who was born in Szczecin, was of particular importance. First of all, Grosicki could go down in history as the first captain who would raise the trophy for the club. Secondly, he and his colleagues could rehabilitate for last year's defeat in the final with Wisla Krakow. The pursuit lost after extra time 1: 2, even though she led 1: 0 to the last basic game time.
How much the Friday final meant for Grosicki and Pogoń showed the motivational speeches of the former Polish representative before each match of the Polish Cup this season. Each time the 36-year-old reminded his colleagues about previous competitions and the need to rehabilitation at the National Stadium.
As the captain and leader of the Grosicki team, he took a shock to warm up. The 36-year-old immediately headed towards the sectors occupied by Pogoń supporters and stimulated them with energetic movements with his hands. He did exactly the same Grosicki a year ago, when he greeted the Pogoń supporters before the match with the Vistula.
Grosicki was even more buried in the 41st minute, when Danijel Loncar scored a 1: 1 goal after his cross. The equalizing goal was awakened not only by Pogoń, but also Grosicki, which until then looked pale.
The 36-year-old activated once again after a 2: 3 goal. But that was that much. Although Grosicki cannot be denied the desire to play, on Friday he did not play as Pogoń fans expected. The culprits of defeat would definitely have to be seen elsewhere, but Grosicki certainly did not give on the pitch as much as a footballer should give his quality, experience and – above all – the meaning for the team and the whole club.
Depressed Grosicki
Grosicki was not a clear sufficient leader in Pogoń during the match, but he behaved like her real captain right after him. The 36-year-old clearly broken, with his head down he led his team to receive silver medals. When he hung around his neck, Grosicki immediately pulled him and headed towards the sectors occupied by Pogoń supporters.
This visit was delayed by the legionnaire decoration ceremony. Grosicki, before he moved towards his fans, gathered the whole team and set it in a row for Fei players. When the legionaries received the medals, Grosicki finally went to the fans, followed by the rest of the team and the training staff.
The 36-year-old did not stop in front of the advertising band, but he passed through her and went almost to the sectors. Grosicki, just like the rest of the team, thanked the fans for doping, for which he received applause in return.
“Thanks for the fight, chasing, thanks for the fight”, “fight, chasing, fight” – chanted fans from Szczecin. Because the pursuit of this season still has something to play. To third place in the Premier League, Szczecin residents lose only two points and promotion to European cups is still possible.
When the broken Grosicki nailed Fridays with fans from Szczecin, on the other side of the stadium a duration was in the best. Legia has a trophy, 21 in the history of the Polish Cup. And the pursuit stayed again with nothing.