Pogoń Siedlce Draws with Górnik Łęczna After Goal in 97th Minute

In an exciting match of the 25th round of the Betclic 1. Liga, Pogoń Siedlce managed to secure a 1:1 draw with Górnik Łęczna in the final action of the game. The hosts, notoriously struggling with finishing their attacks this season, were unable to threaten the opponents' goal for most of the match. The breakthrough came in the 58th minute when Adrian Paluchowski, capitalizing on a pass from Sebastian Bergier, beat Pogoń goalkeeper Tomasz Szczepan to give the visitors the lead. Górnik, while leading, effectively controlled the flow of the game, and their defense seemed impenetrable. The football 1. Liga, also known as the Fortuna 1 Liga from its sponsor's name, constitutes the second tier of competitions in Poland. Clubs fight not only for the championship and promotion to the Ekstraklasa but also to avoid relegation, as dropping to the 2. Liga carries serious financial and organizational consequences. The rivalry between teams from smaller centers, like Łęczna or Siedlce, often takes on an additional local, fierce character. The key moment that significantly influenced the atmosphere and dynamics of the match was the video assistant referee (VAR) intervention in the first half. The main referee, Patryk Gryckiewicz, initially showed a red card to a home player for a harsh foul. After consulting the VAR monitor, the decision was changed to a yellow card. This situation stirred huge emotions on both sides and served as a prelude to later controversies. In the second half, Górnik had a chance to extend their lead, but shots from players like Patryk Kluba were off target. The final phase of the game belonged to the hosts, who with increasing determination sought an equalizer. The pressure paid off in stoppage time. In the 97th minute, after a series of crosses and chaos in front of Górnik's goal, the ball found the net, resulting in a draw. The goal for Pogoń was scored by Kacper Skóra, though some reports suggested the possibility of an own goal among the visiting defenders. „Pogoń came back in the last action of the match. The goal was scored in the 97th minute after a cross from the right side.” — Kurier Lubelski For coach Mariusz Lewandowski's team, this is another match this season where they drop points at the end, highlighting problems with concentration and closing out games. The personnel losses, which Kurier Lubelski pointed out before the match concerning the absence of Piotr Machański and Kacper Tabisz, proved costly, but the team's determination in the final minutes paid off. From a table perspective, the draw is slightly more beneficial for Pogoń Siedlce, which with 24 points is still in the relegation zone, but the point earned gives a glimmer of hope in the fight for survival. For Górnik Łęczna, which with 36 points occupies a safe, mid-table position, this is a missed opportunity to get closer to the top six, who are fighting for promotion. The visitors' coach, Mariusz Lewandowski, will certainly analyze the final minutes of the match where his team lost control of the result.