Górnik Zabrze beat Lech Poznań 2-1 to claim top spot in Ekstraklasa
Substitute Erik Prekop scored two late goals as Górnik Zabrze defeated Lech Poznań 2:1 in front of 28,007 fans, ending Lech's unbeaten start and taking first place in the Ekstraklasa.
First-half lead for the visitors
Górnik Zabrze defeated defending Polish champions Lech Poznań 2:1 on Saturday at Arena Zabrze to move into first place in the PKO BP Ekstraklasa. The fixture brought together last season's top two teams, with Lech entering the weekend as undefeated league leaders on a five-match winning run. Scoring opportunities were scarce during the opening stages, though Lech goalkeeper Mateusz Lis saved an early effort from Górnik winger Maksym Chłań. Lech broke the deadlock in the 36th minute when Górnik goalkeeper Philipp Schulze produced a short punching clearance, enabling Iranian forward Allahyar Sayyadmanesh to score into the net. Górnik struggled to respond before the interval and entered the break trailing 0:1.
Prekop double reverses the scoreline
Górnik manager Michal Gasparik made a triple substitution on the hour mark, introducing Sondre Liseth, Dimitar Velkovski, and Erik Prekop. Prekop levelled the match in the 76th minute by converting a cross inside the penalty area. Only minutes later, Prekop found the net from another cross, with official records noting the winning strike in the 80th or 82nd minute. The victory marked Gasparik's first Ekstraklasa win over Lech Poznań and ended the visitors' five-match winning streak in the league.
- Allahyar Sayyadmanesh scores for Lech Poznań after a short clearance by Philipp Schulze
- Górnik manager Michal Gasparik introduces Erik Prekop as a substitute
- Erik Prekop scores the equalizing goal for Górnik Zabrze from a cross
- Erik Prekop converts a second cross to secure the 2:1 victory for Górnik Zabrze
Attendance record set at Arena Zabrze
The top-of-the-table clash attracted 28,007 spectators to Arena Zabrze, setting a stadium attendance record. The crowd filled most of the 28,499 seats made available for the fixture. Referee Wojciech Myć issued five yellow cards to the home side (Filip Kubicki, Dominik Sacek, Bernardo Vital, Janis Antiste, and Erik Prekop) and two to the visitors (Patrik Walemark and Sayyadmanesh). Celebrations between the Górnik players and the home supporters continued on the pitch long after the final whistle.
- Match attendance
- 28007 seats
- Available capacity
- 28499 seats
Frederiksen addresses tactical drop-off
Both clubs entered the fixture following busy summer qualification campaigns in European competitions. Górnik played six continental matches, exiting in qualifying rounds across the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Lech secured a spot in the Europa League main phase after recovering from an earlier qualification defeat against Danish side Aarhus. Following Saturday's loss, Lech head coach Niels Frederiksen criticized his team's inability to maintain control after the interval.
We did not deserve to win today, we played disappointingly. This was a top match where you had to reach a high level. After the break we lost structure, played too deep, and after halftime we did not play football.
Podolski urges patience despite victory
Górnik owner Lukas Podolski praised the squad and coaching staff on social media for taking the league lead despite their heavy fixture list. However, Podolski cautioned against overconfidence, noting that the team needs to perform across full matches rather than relying on late turnarounds, and acknowledged ongoing structural challenges within the club. Górnik continues its league campaign with a fixture against Korona Kielce on Tuesday followed by a home match against Motor Lublin on Saturday.
I am very proud of my team and staff. Such a start to the league season after 6 tough matches in Europe!
