Wisła Kraków edge Wisła Płock 2-1 as Spanish forwards Rodado and Sanchez strike in first half

Spanish forwards decide the first half

Wisła Kraków secured their second win of the PKO BP Ekstraklasa season with a 2-1 victory over Wisła Płock in the only Friday match of the third round. All three goals came inside the opening 36 minutes. Angel Rodado opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a left-footed strike from outside the penalty area; the ball deflected off Wisła Płock defender Marcus Haglind-Sangre and wrong-footed goalkeeper Rafał Leszczyński. It was Rodado's first Ekstraklasa goal, scored in his first start of the season after recovering from injury. The 28th minute brought an equaliser when Kacper Duda lost possession in midfield, Dani Pacheco played Said Hamulić through on goal, and the Płock forward beat Marcel Łubik one-on-one. Wisła Kraków regained the lead in the 36th minute when defender Alan Uryga headed the ball down and Jordi Sanchez, after outmuscling Haglind-Sangre, struck from close range. The goal was Sanchez's fourth in three matches this season.

Controversy and a costly injury

The 34th minute produced a contentious moment when Haglind-Sangre fouled a Wisła Kraków player breaking through on goal. Referee Paweł Raczkowski showed a yellow card, though the home side appealed for red. In the second half, Wisła Płock lost Pacheco to a shoulder injury in the 60th minute following a collision with Rodado. Reports indicated the midfielder could be sidelined for an extended period, a significant loss for a Płock side that had arrived in Kraków with four points from two matches under coach Adam Majewski.

Płock press without reward

Wisła Płock dominated possession after the break but created few clear chances. Marcin Kamiński came closest to an equaliser in the 88th minute, his header striking the post. Hamulić had earlier tested Łubik from distance after another Wisła error, but the goalkeeper turned the shot behind. At the other end, Wisła Kraków threatened on the counter: Jordi Sanchez missed one opportunity, and Leszczyński saved from Rafał Mikulec in a one-on-one. The match ended 2-1, with Wisła Kraków concentrating on defending the lead through the second period.

Fourth consecutive sellout at Reymonta

The crowd of 33,000 marked the fourth consecutive full house at Wisła Kraków's Reymonta Street stadium. The promoted side, coached by Mariusz Jop, had opened the season with a 2-1 home win over GKS Katowice before losing 3-4 away to Piast Gliwice. Demand for tickets remained high: over 18,000 had already been sold for the upcoming home derby against Wieczysta Kraków, even with sales still limited. Wisła Kraków's next fixture is away at Górnik Zabrze.

Player ratings

Gazeta Krakowska rated defender Alan Uryga the man of the match with an 8, citing his defensive interventions and assist on the winning goal. Goalkeeper Marcel Łubik, right-back Julian Lelieveld, Rodado and Sanchez each received a 7. Kacper Duda and Marko Bozić were rated 4, with Duda held responsible for the error that led to Płock's equaliser.