Second-tier Górnik Łęczna knocks out GKS Katowice 1:0 in Polish Cup as ten Ekstraklasa sides exit

A single error decides the tie

Górnik Łęczna beat Ekstraklasa club GKS Katowice 1:0 in the 1/16 finals of the STS Polish Cup on Tuesday, 27 October. Katowice went in as clear favourites after reaching the semi-final last season, but one mistake settled the match. In the 32nd minute Kikolski played a short, poor pass out of his penalty area, Tkacz intercepted it, ran into the box and beat him with a precise shot. Katowice had the better of possession for long spells, yet they could not find a way through a well-organised home defence.

Second half and the home goalkeeper

Katowice pressed after the break, but Łęczna's 17-year-old goalkeeper Kuba Wilk made several saves, denying efforts from Mateusz Wdowiak and Ilja Szkurin. Five minutes after the opener, Fryderek Janaszek tried a shot from outside the box, and Kikolski was equal to it. Coach Rafał Górak made three substitutions in the 57th minute, and in the 64th minute GKS had its best chance of the match to equalise.

Which level the home side plays on

Sources differ on the division Łęczna plays in. TVP Info and Niezależna describe them as a second-division side, while Interia says they now compete on the third tier after relegation from the Betclic 1. Liga a few months ago. Interia adds that the side, coached by Jurij Szatałow, sits third in its table after 13 rounds and had needed penalties to beat Stal Mielec in the previous round.

Ten Ekstraklasa teams out

RMF counts ten top-flight clubs out of the cup at this stage. Besides GKS Katowice, Motor Lublin and Piast Gliwice also exited on Tuesday. Earlier exits included Legia Warsaw, Widzew Łódź, Pogoń Szczecin, Zagłębie Lubin, Wisła, Wieczysta and Cracovia. Holders Górnik Zabrze beat Piast Gliwice on penalties after a goalless draw, and Raków Częstochowa won a shootout against Motor Lublin.

What comes next

Four of the 16 ties were played on Tuesday, with the rest scheduled for Wednesday, 28 October, and Thursday, 29 October. On Wednesday Lechia Gdańsk face Jagiellonia Białystok and Siarka Tarnobrzeg meet Lech Poznań, a side fresh from beating Legia Warsaw. On Thursday Polonia Warsaw play Korona Kielce. The draw for the 1/8 finals takes place on Friday, 30 October, at 12:30, with those ties set for early December. The final is scheduled for 2 May 2027 at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw.