Bąk: We did what we had to do

The White Star's second team is performing exceptionally well in the MZPN Kraków Polish Cup! After a commanding victory over LKS Skała, Wisła triumphed in their quarterfinal match against Wanda Kraków, securing their place in the next round. Coach Bartosz Bąk praised his players' performance.

The Krakow team once again showed great form and won, defeating their local rival, Wanda Kraków, 4:1. The White Star players, playing as favorites, entered the competition with full respect for their opponents and did their job in the best possible way, crowning it with promotion to the semi-finals of the District Polish Cup.

"Full of respect for our opponent, we did what we had to do in this match and what is expected of a team playing in a higher league. I believe that despite the conditions not favoring dynamic ball movement, the players quickly adapted to the challenges and tried to dismiss things beyond their control."

Wednesday's match also provided an opportunity for players who don't normally have much opportunity to showcase their football skills in league play. Among them were Radosław Skała and Bartłomiej Sowa. Last season, these young players played for the U-19 team competing in the Central Junior League, and with the start of the current campaign, they began their senior football careers in earnest.

"Cup matches also provide us with an opportunity to test the performance of players who are getting fewer opportunities to play in the third division for various reasons, whether it's returning from injury, competing in a specific position, or simply a lack of match rhythm. This is a great opportunity to showcase their skills and signal that they are ready to push players who are gaining more third-division experience. I'm encouraged by the attitude shown during training by the players who have moved from the U-19s to the reserve team. This is a group with a very high work ethic, eager to constantly improve their skills and gain senior experience. I believe that this work will translate directly into league and cup matches sooner or later."

The cup match against Wanda Kraków will certainly be a memorable one for Maksym Tsymbaliuk, who made his first official appearance for the White Star reserves. The young player came on at the start of the second half, replacing Sławomir Chmiel, and played a very good match. How did coach Bartosz Bąk assess his performance?

"I remember Maksym from the time he joined the U-15 team I coached. I'm glad we met again, this time in the reserves, because it's a sign that Maks has done the right job with the coaches in the U-17 and U-19 youth teams. His presence in this match and the preceding training session is a result of his good performance in the U-19 team. We are in constant cooperation with Coach Karol Nędza in this regard, and his opinion regarding the selection of outstanding players for training with the reserves is binding. We must always remember that our primary goal is the development of players from the Academy structure, so I consider these steps to be natural."