Górnik Zabrze eliminated from Europa League qualifying after own goal, drop to Conference League vs AS Monaco

Match summary

Górnik Zabrze hosted Ferencvaros on Thursday evening, 13 August, in the second leg of the Europa League third qualifying round, trailing 0-1 from the first leg in Budapest. Kacper Urbański converted a penalty in the 45th minute after Philippe Rommens fouled Paulo Bernardo, levelling the tie on aggregate. Górnik dominated large stretches but could not find a second goal, and in the 82nd minute Michal Sacek turned the ball into his own net from a Cadu corner kick. The match finished 1-1, sending Ferencvaros through 2-1 on aggregate.

Coach and captain react

Head coach Michal Gasparik told the press conference that his side had been the better team across both legs and that the deciding moment was a defensive error from a routine corner.

“In the first half we were clearly the better team and deservedly scored the first goal, and we could have done it earlier. We created chances, we controlled the match. The second half was more even, but I also think we were more dangerous. Unfortunately we didn't close the game with a goal for 2-0. And then we made a big mistake, we conceded from a corner that was not difficult to defend.”

Captain Erik Janza, speaking to media after the final whistle, described a sense of emptiness and frustration at conceding from a set piece.

“I don't know what to say. For now I have emptiness in my head. We are deeply disappointed, because they were not better than us.”

Janza added that Górnik had the chances to score a second goal and that the team was caught out in the final fifteen minutes, a period he said is always dangerous when a single goal decides the tie.

Ferencvaros coach and substitutions

Ferencvaros head coach Balazs Borbely acknowledged that his side had underperformed for much of the match, particularly in the first 50 minutes, citing a lack of determination and few duels won. He introduced substitutes Adam Nagy and Naby Keita to help his team retain possession. Borbely said the result mattered more than the performance, and that after his changes the team improved. A Ferencvaros goal in the 78th minute was disallowed for a foul before the decisive own goal four minutes later.

UEFA sanction and atmosphere

The stand normally occupied by the Torcida, Górnik's most fervent supporters, was closed following a UEFA sanction imposed for fan behaviour during the Champions League qualifying match against Fenerbahçe. Organised groups of children were seated in that section instead. Despite the closure, over 23,000 spectators attended, and fans displayed a banner reading that the stand was closed but their devotion was not gone. Lukas Podolski, the club's owner since May, appeared on the sideline during the warmup dressed similarly to the players.

What comes next

Górnik drop into the fourth qualifying round of the Conference League, where they will face AS Monaco. The first leg will be played at home. Gasparik acknowledged that the chances of advancing are very small but said the team would try again against a strong opponent. Several Polish commentators, including Jakub Kłyszejko of TVP Sport and Piotr Dumanowski of Eleven Sports, pointed to Górnik's lack of a reliable striker, with Erik Prekop missing multiple chances and Sondre Liseth unavailable after reporting health issues on the morning of the match.