Stal Gorzów secures playoff berth despite 45:44 home loss to relegated Włókniarz Częstochowa

Aggregate outcome and relegation

Gezet Stal Gorzów secured seventh place in the PGE Ekstraliga on Friday, 18 September 2026, despite losing 44:45 at home in the second leg of the play-down round. The Gorzów club entered the return leg defending a 47:43 victory from the first leg in Częstochowa, winning the two-legged tie on aggregate. The narrow loss sent visitors Krono-Plast Włókniarz Częstochowa down to the Metalkas 2. Ekstraliga after a campaign in which they recorded 17 losses in 17 matches. The aggregate victory qualifies Stal for the two-legged promotion-relegation playoff against the runner-up of the second tier.

Early injury blows at the Jancarz Stadium

Stal entered the contest already depleted by the long-term absence of leader Jack Holder, who has been sidelined since mid-season. The opening three heats finished level at 3:3, leaving the score at 9:9 before heat four brought the first medical stoppage. In the rerun of heat four, junior Oskar Paluch lost control on the second lap and collided with the inflatable barrier, requiring an ambulance on the track. Doctors ruled Paluch unfit to continue after diagnosing a broken arm, ending his participation for the remainder of the fixture and the season. Włókniarz capitalized with consecutive 5:1 victories in heats four and five to take a 19:11 lead, aided by two race wins from Alan Ciurzyński.

Stal head coach Piotr Paluch confirmed the diagnosis during post-match interviews.

“Oskar Paluch has a broken arm.”

Middle-heat recovery and fourteenth-heat pile-up

Stal responded across the middle heats behind race victories from Anders Thomsen, sixteen-year-old Igor Kordun, and Adam Bednar. A 5:1 heat win by Bednar and Mathias Pollestad in heat twelve pushed the hosts ahead 38:34, before the score reached 40:38 leading into the nominated heats. Heat fourteen produced another multi-rider incident at the entry to the first bend involving Jaimon Lidsey, Kordun, and Bednar. Kordun fell after contact and clipped Bednar, while Lidsey was thrown through the air. Bednar was taken to the pits by ambulance with heavy bruising, while Kordun suffered a finger injury, preventing both from contesting the restart. Lidsey intentionally touched the starting tape so a reserve junior could take his spot, giving Włókniarz a 5:0 win in the rerun.

Medical assessments and playoff preparations

A video review in the fifteenth heat confirmed Włókniarz's 45:44 match win, closing their top-flight season with a victory. Gorzów medical staff confirmed that neither Bednar nor Kordun sustained bone fractures, though both need several days of rest and rehabilitation before returning to the track. Coach Piotr Paluch acknowledged the squad constraints heading into the postseason decider.

“Oskar Paluch will certainly not ride in them. We have a hole-filled lineup. The coming days will show who we will eventually ride with.”

Stal will face either Abramczyk Polonia Bydgoszcz or Hunters PSŻ Poznań in the two-legged playoff on 27 September and 4 October 2026. The identity of their playoff opponent will be determined on Sunday, 20 September 2026.

Stal Gorzów (Leg 1)47

Włókniarz Częstochowa (Leg 1)43

Stal Gorzów (Leg 2)44

Włókniarz Częstochowa (Leg 2)45

Stal Gorzów (Leg 1)

47 points

Włókniarz Częstochowa (Leg 1)

43 points

Stal Gorzów (Leg 2)

44 points

Włókniarz Częstochowa (Leg 2)

45 points

Data from the article text