There was a match… Wisła - Inter | 30/10/2001

With the Europa League qualifying match approaching, we're revisiting one of the White Star's most thrilling international matches. The bittersweet conclusion to this adventure is now etched in the rich history of the Kraków club, and Wisła's return to European competition after more than a decade away is the perfect opportunity for a quick look back.

It was 2001, and Wisła Kraków, led by Franciszek Smuda, was competing for the UEFA Cup. After a close first-round battle, the White Star ultimately prevailed over Hajduk Split on aggregate, finishing the competition 3-2 against the Croatian side. However, the biggest thrills seemed to be yet to come for the Kraków side, as their next opponent was Inter Milan, with Brazilian star Ronaldo in their lineup.

The first meeting between the two teams took place in Italy and proved to be a painful lesson in football for the players in red shirts. Kallón's double forced Wisła to return to Krakow with a two-goal deficit, facing a daunting task of turning the tables. There were some calls from fans harking back to the memorable run of form against Real Zaragoza, but the class of their opponents and the Nerazzurri's defensive capabilities didn't suggest such a turn of events.

Despite being condemned to failure, coach Smuda's players displayed an unwavering belief in making up for the losses. Coach "Franz" decided to hold the final training session behind closed doors to calmly prepare his players for the battle on the pitch and select the most suitable starting lineup. It's worth noting that Héctor Cúper's team seemed no less focused. Wisła's stadium had long been known as a veritable fortress, and the last team to barely manage to drag victory out of Krakow was FC Barcelona itself. There was no question of any lack of motivation. The Argentine coach remained tight-lipped about his personnel decisions until the very end, leaving the matter to journalists' speculation.

The home team's lineup was filled with names that today are clearly associated with prominent figures in the history of our club. Olgierd Moskalewicz, Tomasz Frankowski, and Maciej Żurawski, who filled in on the left wing for the suspended Kosowski, were responsible for scoring the goals. The latter repaid his coach's trust in the first attacking action, scoring in the fourth minute to make it 1-0. Half the deficit had already been erased, and the crowd in the stands had been waiting for almost the entire match.

The remainder of the first half, however, passed relatively quickly and was marked by a fierce battle in midfield. Ryszard Czerwiec, along with Kazimierz Moskal, currently on the bench, performed admirably in their tactical duties. Frankowski, who had assisted the earlier goal, missed his chance to secure a two-goal lead, while Mirosław Szymkowiak's set pieces were cleared by Inter's excellent goalkeeper Alberto Fontana, with Javier Zanetti playing in defence. The visitors also didn't settle for simply defending the lead that had kept them in contention. The attackers in black and blue eagerly sought opportunities with long-range shots, but their success was lacking, keeping the scoreline unchanged at halftime.

The second 45 minutes began with even bolder attacking play from Wisła Kraków. Frankowski remained active in the Italian penalty area, and any attempts to score against Artur Sarnat were quickly countered by Arkadiusz Głowacki, who was keeping the ball in the center of the defense. Moskalewicz, who had been largely unseen in the first half, looked much better after the break. It was his run that earned the Wawel team a dangerous free kick in the 61st minute. Szymkowiak stepped up to the plate, and his precise shot hit the post. He nearly doubled the score and leveled the score.

This situation acted like a morning wake-up call for the visitors from Milan. From that moment on, the visitors' advantage and experience began to show, only exacerbated by repeated sloppiness in the defense. At this stage of the match, the then-teenage Adriano caused many problems with his play and on-field cunning, making his fans remember his somewhat irregular clashes with Marcin Baszczyński. Aside from the yellow cards, the match statistics remained largely unchanged, and with every minute ticking away, the match inexorably headed towards the final whistle.

The exhausted White Star players, however, were able to muster one more attempt to force extra time. The final stage of the entire spectacle could be described as a massive siege of the Inter Milan goal. They searched for long balls, bypassing the midfield lines, and crossed the ball into the penalty area. Franciszek Smuda introduced Grzegorz Niciński and Marek Zając, hoping to score the desired goal with a header. At one point, even Sarnat, the goalkeeper, appeared in the penalty area on the other side of the pitch – football has often written similar scenarios with goalkeepers as the main focus. Unfortunately, this time, their dedication until the last seconds proved insufficient, and despite a victory against one of Europe's best teams, Wisła Kraków had to say goodbye to their UEFA competition adventure this year.

Years later, Wisła Kraków's excellent performance in that second leg is still remembered. They showed some truly excellent football and came very close to pulling off a major upset. I often regret that Szymkowiak's free-kick didn't find the back of the net. On the other hand, if Kraków had played in a similar vein in the first leg, a one-goal victory might have been enough to extend the competition, perhaps even lead to something more. However, all this is merely speculation. The youngest-ever winner of the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, the legendary Ronaldo, never appeared on the pitch. The Brazilian striker was fresh off an injury, and the coach didn't want to risk re-injuring it in such a close contest. The saying "what goes around comes around," as the famous O Fenômeno played in Kraków three years later in the white jersey of a certain Spanish team... but that's another story.

Wisla Krakow - Inter Milan 1:0 (1:0)
1:0 Zurawski 4'

Wisła Kraków: Sarnat - Baszczyński (90' M. Zając), B. Zając, Głowacki, Kaliciak - Szymkowiak, Moskal, Czerwiec (79' Pater), Żurawski - Frankowski (74' Niciński), Moskalewicz

Inter Milan: Fontana - J. Zanetti, Cordoba, Materazzi, Greszko - Okan (81' Simić), C. Zanetti, Farinos (65' Di Biagio), Dalmat - Adriano (75' Ventola), Kallon