Blind Football: Wisła is the third force in Prague

Wisła won bronze medals at the 2024 Central European Cities Cup, which took place last weekend in Prague, Czech Republic. The White Star BF put in a strong performance despite some personnel issues.

Nine clubs from seven countries met in the Czech Republic on September 28-29 to compete for the title of best team in the eleventh edition of the tournament, held annually in the capital of our southern neighbor. The tournament was held under modified IBSA rules, and due to the number of teams, the Swiss system was implemented. Our section faced opponents from San Remo (Italy), Athens (Greece), Marburg, and Ingolstadt (Germany).

"We had the opportunity to compete against clubs we'd never faced before or hadn't played against them for a very long time – I'm talking about both teams from Germany. Looking back, and with the Polish Cup coming up, it was an excellent training session with different opponents who played differently, employed different tactics and moves, and were in some cases at a higher level than us and our league opponents," said Rafał Kurlit, assistant coach.

The match against San Remo ended in a 1-1 draw, with Paweł Zinkow scoring for our team before the break. Their opponents equalized the score in the second half and emerged victorious in the penalty shootout, winning 2-1 – it's worth noting that a draw in regular time was worth one point, and the team that won the shootout received an additional point. In the match against Marburg, White Star BF lost 0-1, having to play without any substitutes throughout the match due to a lack of substitutes and Zinkow's head injury, which ruled him out of the tournament for a period of time.

"We started the tournament against very demanding opponents, eventual gold and silver medalists. Due to Paweł's problems and the lack of substitutes, we had to play differently than we planned. It's a shame, because we probably would have been able to take at least a point from the German team. It's hard to say, but I'm still pleased with our level of play, especially our defense against such opponents. This feat is all the more impressive considering the fact that the Italian team's attacker was an Argentine, a world champion and silver medalist at the last Olympics," praised Marcin Ryszka.

Wisła BF entered the match against FC Ingolstadt with a single point secured, and a potential slip-up against Germany could have jeopardized their chances of advancing to the Top 4, the tournament's semifinals. Despite Wisła's significant advantage, the match ended in a 0-0 draw – Marcin Ryszka scored, unfortunately, just after the final whistle. However, Rycha didn't miss in the penalty shootout, and together with Bednarkiewicz, they secured a 2-1 victory for our team.

The final match of the group stage was played under the spotlight. Zinkow returned to action, and Krzysztof Spytkowski made his debut between the posts. Wisła attacked from the start, as only a perfect score would guarantee a spot in the semifinals. The lead quickly took shape and was confirmed by Paweł, who was returning from injury, making it 1-0. This result held until the end, placing our team in fourth place in the table.

"I'll be honest, for a moment I thought the top 4 would be unattainable. The unfavorable standings at the end, Paweł's injury, and the forced experimental formation of our team – I wasn't entirely confident in my abilities after a nearly three-month break caused by Achilles tendon problems. However, everything fell into place in the last match, and we jumped into the top tier. Our determination and the character of each of us gave us more than just a top four finish in Prague," commented Mateusz Krzyszkowski.

In the semifinals, White Star BF lost 2-0 to Blista Marburg, their group rivals. This meant that the final match for our section was the bronze medal match against ANVR Bucharest. The match started in the best possible way, as Zinkov scored a goal right after kick-off to make it 1-0, which turned out to be the only goal of the match. The match was closely contested, and both sides had their chances – but Wisła Kraków took the bottom spot, as they didn't even have the strength to celebrate after the final whistle.

"It was a demanding tournament for both body and mind. We're happy to have the bronze medals hanging around our necks. We did everything we could to achieve this. I'm very happy that I was able to compete in matches against completely different and new teams. This kind of experience is important for me and the entire team to grow," concluded Gabriel Olech.

White Star BF players also received individual awards. Paweł Zinkow received the award for the club's best player, and Marcin Ryszka was named the tournament's best defender.

Wisła Kraków BF has thus added its second trophy to its tally this season. The Wisła Kraków team will have a restorative start to the new week and a return to work, as in just two weeks they will compete in the Polish Cup, which will be played at Wawel Castle. Detailed information about the upcoming tournament will be available soon on the section's social media platforms.

Congratulations on your podium finish and we keep our fingers crossed for further victories!