Lech Poznań defeated KuPS Kuopio 2-0 away in the first match of the UEFA Conference League knockout phase. The Polish champions dominated the game played in extreme conditions with temperatures reaching -15 degrees Celsius. Goals for Kolejorz were scored by Antoni Kozubal and Taofeek Ismaheel. This victory puts the Poznań team in a comfortable position ahead of the return leg at Bułgarska Street, bringing the Polish club closer to advancing to the round of 16.

Lech's Triumph in Finland

Kolejorz defeated KuPS Kuopio 2-0 with goals from Kozubal and Ismaheel, playing almost the entire match with a one-player advantage.

Poland in the UEFA Ranking

Thanks to Lech's win, Poland holds 12th place in the country ranking, opening the path for 5 teams to compete in European cups.

Górnik Basketball Players in the Semi-final

The trophy defenders from Wałbrzych defeated Arka Gdynia 91-81, with the team leader scoring as many as 31 points in the tournament in Sosnowiec.

The Polish champion, Lech Poznań, successfully inaugurated the knockout phase of the Conference League. In the match played in Tampere, the Poznań side defeated the Finnish KuPS Kuopio 2-0. The match took place in extremely difficult weather conditions. The perceived temperature dropped below -15 degrees Celsius, forcing players to compete on an artificial surface. In the 9th minute, Antoni Kozubal opened the scoring, and the hosts' situation worsened with a red card for Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumby just three minutes later. The result was sealed in the 41st minute by Nigerian winger Taofeek Ismaheel. Coach Niels Frederiksen praised his team's tactical discipline after the match, though he admitted the cold was palpable even on the substitutes' bench. Lech Poznań has a rich history of European cup appearances dating back to the 1970s. The club's greatest success in recent years was advancing to the quarter-finals of the Conference League in the 2022/2023 season, where they were defeated by the eventual finalist, Italian side Fiorentina. Completely different moods prevail in Białystok. Jagiellonia Białystok lost at home to AC Fiorentina 0-3, practically dashing the Polish champion's hopes of advancing to the next round. Despite an ambitious performance, Adrian Siemieniec's charges were unable to match the class of the Serie A opponent. These results directly impact the UEFA country ranking. Poland has strengthened its position in 12th place, increasing its lead over Denmark. There is a real chance that next season, the Polish Ekstraklasa could field as many as five teams in European competitions, provided they maintain a position in the top fifteen of the ranking. „It was extremely cold. When I high-fived the players after the match, it felt like I was touching ice.” — Niels Frederiksen In the shadow of football emotions, the final tournament of the Polish Basketball Cup is underway in Sosnowiec. Górnik Zamek Książ Wałbrzych defeated AMW Arka Gdynia 91-81 in the quarter-final match. The hero of the match was Avery Anderson, who scored 31 points. Górnik, defending last year's title, will face Energa Trefl Sopot in the semi-final. Arka Gdynia, despite an ambitious chase in the fourth quarter, failed to recover from the deficit, playing with a severely depleted squad due to numerous injuries to key players.

Mentioned People

  • Niels Frederiksen — Coach of Lech Poznań, who led the team to victory in Finland in extremely low temperatures.
  • Antoni Kozubal — Young midfielder for Lech Poznań, scorer of the first goal in the match against KuPS Kuopio.
  • Avery Anderson — Basketball player for Górnik Wałbrzych, scorer of 31 points in the Polish Cup quarter-final.