Crazy Spectacle in Krakow: Piast Gliwice Turns the Match Against Cracovia Around in the Final Moments

The match at the stadium on Kałuży Street began with non-sporting incidents, as thick smoke from flares set off by the home fans forced a brief interruption in play. After the restart, it was Cracovia dictating the terms, going into halftime with a deserved lead. The second half, however, had a completely different course. Ekstraklasa once again proved to be unpredictable. The key moment turned out to be the personnel decisions of Piast's coaching staff. Three players brought on from the bench changed the course of the rivalry, exposing the defensive errors of the 'Pasy' (The Stripes), who were completely lost in the final quarter of an hour. Cracovia's coach, Luka Elsner, did not hide his disappointment with his team's performance after the break, describing his players' transformation as incomprehensible. The Krakow-Gliwice rivalry has been characterized by high tactical intensity for years, but the history of meetings between the two teams has rarely recorded a case where as many as three substitutes from one team scored in a single match.In the shadow of the on-field events, Cracovia fans demonstrated their stance in the ongoing conflict between the club's shareholders. Banners appeared in the stands emphasizing attachment to tradition and a dislike for treating the club solely as a business venture. Meanwhile, in Poznań, anxiety is growing ahead of the upcoming clash with Raków Częstochowa. Lech is struggling with the terrible state of the pitch, which forced an express and extremely costly replacement of the surface. This operation, estimated at nearly 800 thousand złoty, is necessary for the team to be able to execute its technical style of play. Similar logistical problems have affected Łódź, where the installation of new turf is also planned before Widzew's match against Lech. 800 tys. zł — will be the cost of replacing the pitch in PoznańThe situation in Polish football extends beyond league boundaries, as shown by the sharp reaction to the words of Shakhtar Donetsk's coach. The Ukrainian team's manager, Marino Pušić, publicly questioned the sense of continuing to play cup matches in Poland, complaining about the exhausting logistics. This statement caused a storm, as Polish cities have played a key role as a safe haven for Ukrainian football since the outbreak of the full-scale war. Simultaneously, in the background of the elite, in the 1. Liga, Górnik Łęczna experienced real drama. The team from the Lublin region lost seemingly certain points in the clash with Pogoń Siedlce after conceding a goal in the 97th minute of play, which is a painful reminder of the need to stay alert until the final whistle. „I don't want to play in Poland anymore. It's too difficult for my players physically and mentally.” — Shakhtar Donetsk coach Marino Pušić From the perspective of the table, Piast Gliwice's victory is fundamental, allowing the team to breathe and escape the relegation zone. For Cracovia, on the other hand, it is a warning signal, suggesting a need for a deep analysis of fitness preparation. The coming days will be marked by preparations for the big matches in Szczecin and Białystok, where Pogoń will face Widzew, and Jagiellonia will host Legia Warsaw. In Polish football, the atmosphere is thickening not only from flare smoke but, above all, from the accumulating infrastructural and organizational problems that cast a shadow over the sporting rivalry.