Lech Poznan secured a 3-2 victory over Widzew Lodz in Polish Ekstraklasa action after goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski made a fatal stoppage-time error in Lodz on Sunday.
Substitute Luis Palma scored the winning goal in the 96th minute into an empty net after Dragowski rushed out of his penalty area and completely missed a long ball from defender Michal Gurgul following a miscommunication with defender Marcel Krajewski.
Frustrated Widzew supporters responded by chanting to ask their team what they were doing as the final whistle blew. The result concluded a dramatic match in Ekstraklasa, the top division of Polish football, where Lech took all three points despite defensive vulnerabilities on both sides.
Lech Poznan took the lead earlier in the contest when midfielder Antoni Kozubal finished a rapid attack initiated by Patrik Walemark. Kozubal evaded defenders inside the penalty box to score the opening goal, making a surging forward run in the style of classic Frank Lampard performances. Kozubal was awarded a 4+ rating on the standard 1 to 6 scale used in Polish media match analysis, having also gone close with a header and nearly providing an assist when his through pass struck teammate Allahyar Sayyadmanesh on the heel.
Sayyadmanesh doubled Lech's advantage to 2-0 by squeezing a shot between Dragowski's legs. The Iranian forward, who operated on the left wing with tactical freedom under head coach Niels Frederiksen to double up as a striker, earned a 4+ rating. Sayyadmanesh has now recorded five goals and two assists in 524 minutes of action for Lech Poznan. He added a dangerous header late in the first half and completed several responsible defensive runs after the break.
Winger Patrik Walemark was rated as Lech's best player on the night with a 5 rating after providing assists for both opening goals. Walemark, who had previously failed to score or assist in domestic league play despite impressing in European qualifiers, has now registered four goals and three assists across his last four appearances.
Late Dramatics and Defensive Mistakes
Widzew Lodz mounted a second-half comeback led by winger Mariusz Fornalczyk, who received Widzew's highest rating of 5. Fornalczyk delivered a sharp assist for Polish international striker Karol Swiderski to reduce the margin to 2-1. Swiderski earned a 4 rating for his tireless pressing and team contribution, showing no lingering signs of a recent shoulder injury, after receiving a long pass from defender Mateusz Zyro.
Fornalczyk then scored the equalizer to make it 2-2 with a daring strike past Lech goalkeeper Mateusz Lis at the near post. Central defender Steve Kapuadi received a 4 rating for starting the move with a clever pass that outmaneuvered the Lech defense in the style of an elite playmaker.
Fornalczyk's equalizing goal highlighted a major mistake by Lech goalkeeper Mateusz Lis, who was handed a 1+ rating after leaving vast space at his near post. Lis displayed uncertainty throughout the match, parrying shots and reacting late. Dragowski, also a Polish international, earned a 2 rating for Widzew despite executing several impressive saves earlier, including tipping a 35th-minute top-corner strike from Radoslaw Murawski over the bar and stopping a free-kick from Palma.
Lech defender Joel Pereira was rated 2 after contributing to both Widzew goals, including a soft 26th-minute header back toward his goalkeeper that Fornalczyk intercepted. Wojciech Monka received a 2+ rating after losing positional awareness alongside Pereira on Widzew's second goal. Left-back Michal Gurgul received a 4- rating, defending far better than Pereira before supplying the long pass that provoked Dragowski's match-deciding error.
Player Ratings and Tactical Breakdown
Terry Yegbe, making his first start for Lech since an early August European match against Klaksvik, earned a 3+ rating as the most dependable element of Poznan's defense, winning duels and clearing set pieces. Midfielder Radoslaw Murawski received a 3+ rating for screening the defense and initiating attacks, allowing Kozubal freedom to join the attack. Pablo Rodriguez received a 3 rating after failing to influence the game consistently despite pressing and delivering a few passes. Striker Yannick Agnero struggled in attack and received a 2 rating before being subbed off for Palma in the 68th minute by Niels Frederiksen, though Agnero made three clearances in his own penalty area.
Palma earned a 4+ rating for his dynamic cameo and match-winning goal. Among other Lech substitutes, Gustav Berggren went unrated due to brief playing time but nearly scored when his shot narrowly missed the post. Filip Jagiello also went unrated. Substitute Wojciech Szymczak was unrated but felt immense relief when a penalty awarded against him for an alleged foul was overturned following video review.
In Widzew's defense, Marcel Krajewski received a 2 rating due to his late miscommunication with Dragowski, despite supporting the central defenders well earlier in the match. Mateusz Zyro was rated 3 for initiating the sequence for Widzew's first goal while filling in for Przemyslaw Wisniewski. Mario Garcia received a 2 rating after being repeatedly beaten down his flank by Walemark, failing to match his recent offensive display against Slask Wroclaw despite delivering a few crosses and a long-range shot in an improved second half.
Midfielder Lindon Selahi received a 3 rating after providing cover for Garcia, while Angel Baena earned a 3- rating for a quiet offensive outing. Fran Alvarez received a 3+ rating for testing Lech with long-range shots and set pieces, while Emil Kornvig earned a 3 rating for winning all his aerial battles before being substituted in the 70th minute. Widzew substitutes Sebastian Bergier, Giannis Papanikolaou, Stipe Biuk, and Antoni Klukowski all went unrated after playing brief roles.
