Summary of the Academy weekend: 11-12.05

Another league weekend is behind us, with plenty of matches featuring young players from the Wisła Football Academy. Here's a quick summary of the results for the CLJ U-15, CLJ U-17, CLJ U-19, and White Star's reserves.

U-15: Derby win against Cracovia

A Kraków derby for Wisła! The U-15s defeated Cracovia 2-0 at home in the 11th round of the Central Junior League. Goals from Oliwier Kozak and Wiktor Maziarz secured the prestigious victory, with the latter securing the victory in stoppage time. Wisła surprised their opponents by playing with a shorthanded team, having earlier received a red card for Karol Łakomy.

Krystian Żakowicz's men dominated the derby from the start. Bartosz Wajda and Oliwier Kozak both had chances to open the scoring in the opening minutes, but the Cracovia goalkeeper was on guard.

In the 12th minute, however, the opposing goalkeeper was helpless. Przemysław Gołąb delivered a stunning pass from deep, and Oliwier Kozak got ahead of the opposing goalkeeper. His shot went over the keeper and into the net.

Wisła controlled the action and prevented their opponents from creating virtually any clear-cut chances before the break. They themselves could have extended their advantage with another goal. First, Alan Bąk's shot, following a play with Michał Pałka, went wide, and in the 35th minute, Przemysław Gołąb fired home a dangerous shot from outside the penalty area.

A minute later, Jakub Idziak shot an incredible shot from distance, but the ball hit the post.

An exciting ending

The game pattern remained unchanged after the break. Wisła remained dominant, searching for more goals. Five minutes after the restart, Alan Bąk burst into the Pasy penalty area. His powerful shot sent the ball over the crossbar.

Emotions reached a fever pitch towards the end, when their opponents seized the initiative and forced Wisła onto the defensive. Jakub Golonka, however, was excellent between the posts. Krystian Żakowicz's men also finished the match shorthanded when Karol Łakomy received a second yellow card in the final minute of stoppage time, resulting in a red card. This, however, did not deter the White Star, who sealed the match two minutes later.

Golonka opened the action with a quick pass, and moments later, Piotr Hejmo won a header, while Wiktor Maziarz, who had just been introduced, raced to the opposing goal. The Wisła player won the head-to-head duel with the opposing goalkeeper, securing three points for Wisła in the derby.

"We controlled the match and played as we planned. The players consistently implemented the goals we had been working on during training sessions throughout the week. They also added what is essential in football: commitment at the highest level. It was a deserved victory. We looked better with the ball at our feet. This result reflects what happened on the pitch, as our opponents also defended well and in the second half they applied more pressure, which forced some adjustments to our game," concluded U-15 coach Krystian Żakowicz. "I believe that in previous matches we were on par with our opponents. We don't feel excessive respect for opponents who are first or second in the table. We knew we could put up a good fight and win against anyone. We didn't pay attention to the table or the fact that Cracovia is second and we are currently in second-to-last place. Every match is demanding because the league is close. We know what we're capable of, and if we play at our best, we could end up playing like we did this time."

Wisła's next matchup will feature another derby clash. This time, the U-15 team will face their peers from Garbarnia Kraków. The match is scheduled for Friday, May 17th.

CLJ U-15: Wisła Kraków - Cracovia 2:0 (1:0)

Goals: Oliwier Kozak (12'), Wiktor Maziarz (80+2')

Wisła Kraków: Jakub Golonka - Karol Łakomy, Kacper Kopijka, Radosław Krasek, Przemysław Gołąb (73. Dawid Tracz) - Oliwier Kozak (79. Wiktor Maziarz), Jakub Idziak, Bartosz Wajda (80+2. Dawid Kubik)- Mateusz Pałka (80+2. Dominik Mierzwa), Alan Bąk (67. Jan Szczepaniak), Michał Pałka (61. Piotr Hejmo).

U-17: Derby victory against Hutnik

The U-17 team faced Hutnik Kraków in a derby match on Sunday afternoon in the 28th round of the Central Junior League. The White Star players once again demonstrated their excellent form this season, defeating their opponents 7-2. Maciej Szmydt scored three goals for Wisła Kraków, while Franciszek Radwański, Łukasz Staniów, Maksym Tsymbaliuk, and Szymon Kawała also scored.

The White Star players seem to have returned to winning ways for good. A week ago, they defeated Motor Lublin 3-2 at home in style, redeeming themselves for their previous losses to top-of-the-table teams Legia Warsaw and AKS SMS Łódź. Now, coach Patryk Jałocha's players had the opportunity to face local rivals Hutnik Kraków, and the match was also full of exciting moments and impressive goals. The hosts managed to beat the Wisła Kraków goalkeeper twice, but it was Wisła Kraków who emerged unscathed, scoring seven goals on target. Maciej Szmydt was particularly effective in this match, as his shots forced the Hutnik goalkeeper to retrieve the ball from the net three times. Franciszek Radwański, Łukasz Staniów, Maksym Tsymabiuk and Szymon Kawała also contributed, allowing the guests to claim victory and collect a valuable set of points.

However, the derby football excitement for Patryk Jałocha's team doesn't end there. This coming Saturday at 3:00 PM, the young Wisła players will face another league match, in which the Reymont team will take on another local rival, Cracovia. The match will be played in Myślenice.

Wisła Kraków U-17 (starting lineup): Kacper Pisarek – Eryk Daczewski, Szymon Urbanik, Franciszek Radwański – Nathan Lis, Maksym Tsymbaliuk, Łukasz Staniów, Aleksy Rokosz – Jakub Czubernat, Maciej Szmydt, Szymon Kawała

Substitutes: Karol Dołkin, Mateusz Kania, Jakub Małek, Milan Olej, Dawid Rataj, Bruno Skoczek, Dawid Szczepaniak, Kacper Trznadel, Mateusz Wilk

U-19: Priceless win against Raków Częstochowa

Wisła Kraków U-19 players secured a valuable full set of points on Sunday afternoon in their away match in the 27th round of the Central Junior League against Raków Częstochowa. Wisła triumphed 1-0, with Karol Dziedzic scoring the winning goal in the 62nd minute, surprising the opposing goalkeeper with a direct free kick.

The fight for league survival in the Central Junior League is entering its decisive phase. For Wisła Kraków's senior juniors, who are still struggling, Sunday's match against Raków Częstochowa was crucial. A defeat against one of their direct rivals could practically eliminate their chances of survival.

Hence, the squad led by coach Karol Nędza included several players who train daily with the first team and the reserve team. Jakub Krzyżanowski was the main starter, with Jakub Stępak lining up between the posts.

A free kick goal is crucial for the win

However, the hero for Wisła Kraków was Karol Dziedzic, who surprised the Raków goalkeeper with a direct free kick in the 62nd minute. The Częstochowa goalkeeper made a bizarre error and missed the ball. Moments later, it fluttered into the net.

The clash at Jasna Góra was marked by intense tension and high nerves. The first half saw several heated moments in front of the Wisła goal. In the 13th minute, Jakub Stępak's shot was saved by the post.

After a period of Raków dominance, Wisła took the lead after 20 minutes. In the 25th minute, following a quick move initiated by Stępak, the White Star players launched a swift attack, which Hugo Woyna-Orlewicz narrowly missed. In the 36th minute, Dawid Gap made his presence felt in the penalty area, but neither of his partners were able to finish his pass.

Before the break, Maciej Kuziemka produced the best move. The 40th-minute shot from the dainty winger deflected off an opponent and headed into the net, but Raków's goalkeeper made a last-minute save.

Emotions reached their peak at the end

After the break, Wisła took the lead thanks to Dziedzic's strike, but they should have taken the lead in the 47th minute. Gap had already passed the opposing goalkeeper, but his shot was too weak, and one of the Częstochowa defenders managed to save it.

In the 53rd minute, Wisła's defenders breathed a huge sigh of relief when the hosts hit the post again. The final period saw several more close calls in front of the Wisła goal, but Karol Nędza's men weathered the hosts' onslaught and added a priceless three points to their tally.

"We told ourselves before the match that no matter what happened, we had to leave everything on the pitch to achieve a positive result. Big kudos to the players, because we achieved exactly what we set out to do. We fought for every inch of the pitch, and you could see the enormous determination in their actions. It was very encouraging. I would also like to thank the Academy authorities and the coaching staffs of both the first and second teams, because we were able to benefit from the support of players who train with the first and second teams on a daily basis. We managed to create a strong and determined team to achieve a positive result," emphasized Karol Nędza, the U-19 team's coach, after the match.

With three rounds remaining, Wisła Kraków still sits in the relegation zone with 29 points. However, they are only three points off safety. In their next round of matches, Wisła will face their immediate neighbors in the league table, Odra Opole, at the ORLEN OIL Training Center in Myślenice. The match is scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 p.m. "We'll want to play the next three matches with the same level of determination. I think the will to fight will be key in the final stretch. We feel we're ready to fight until the end, and we believe we'll succeed. We don't want to rely on luck; we want to achieve this through hard work and determination," added coach Karol Nędza.

CLJ U-19: Raków Częstochowa - Wisła Kraków 0:1 (0:0)

Goal: Karol Dziedzic (62')

Yellow cards: Pachel, Woyna-Orlewicz

Wisła Kraków: Jakub Stępak - Maciej Pachel (46. Maciej Jania), Marcin Górkiewicz, Radosław Skała, Jakub Krzyżanowski - Bartłomiej Sowa, Karol Dziedzic, Maciej Kuziemka (71. Filip Baniowski) - Yehor Khromykh (78. Tomasz Dusik), Hugo Woyna-Orlewicz (83. Adam Klimczyk), Dawid Gap (84. Wiktor Benedyktowicz).

Wisła II: A sure victory in Muszyna

The team, led by coach Bartosz Bąk, traveled to Muszyna on Saturday to battle for points against local side Poprad. The visitors emerged victorious in this clash, securing a perfect 4-0 victory over their opponents, with Domnik Sarga (two), Kamil Kaczówka, and Marcin Bartoń all scoring.

The White Star team entered the match against Poprad after last week's impressive victory over MKS Trzebinia, and in that match, they did everything they could to open the scoring early and then create further scoring opportunities. While the Kraków team was the favorite, the home side were not about to give in easily. In the first half, both sides exerted considerable influence, attempting to threaten the opposing team's goal, but their efforts were largely unsuccessful. The visitors had plenty of chances – first, Dominik Sarga fired a powerful but off-target shot, then Kuba Wiśniewski tried to convert a cross into the penalty area, and in the final quarter of an hour, Karol Tokarczyk struck twice, including a header. All these attempts, however, failed to produce the desired effect, but the Kraków team remained confident, mounting further attacks. The consistency of the Reymont team finally paid off when, 5 minutes before the end of the half, Dominik Sarga made use of Michał Zimon's pass and headed the ball into the net.

Four hits and three points

After the break, the visitors remained in a better position, which further fueled their search for further opportunities in the hosts' penalty area. The home side tried to chase the score and constantly brought out the heavy artillery in their bid for an equalizer, but it was the Kraków team that dictated the tempo of the game. The visitors organized themselves efficiently, executing well-organized attacks, which allowed them to celebrate their second goal on target just a few dozen seconds into the half. Jakub Niewiadomski then passed the ball to Dominik Sarga, who fired in from distance, extending his team's lead. In the following minutes, the Kraków team continued to push Poprad forward, trying to capitalize on their errors and once again torment the Muszyna goalkeeper. During one of the attacks, Jakub Złoch sent the ball into the penalty area, and the opposition goalkeeper stepped out of his goal to catch it just in time. However, Jakub Niewiadomski got to the ball and headed it into the net, but at the last moment, a Poprad defender saved the visitors from conceding. The Krakow team finally managed to beat the Poprad goalkeeper again when, in the 82nd minute, Michał Zimon crossed the ball into the penalty area, and Kamil Kaczówka finished the move, making it 3-0. But that wasn't the end of it – just before the end of regulation time, Marcin Bartoń appeared on the pitch, collected the ball from Kamil Kaczówka just a few dozen seconds after coming on, and then fired it into the bottom corner, making it 4-0.

Poprad Muszyna – Wisła II Kraków 0:4 (0:1)

0:1 Dominik Sarga 40'0:2 Dominik Sarga 47'0:3 Kamil Kaczówka 82'0:4 Marcin Bartoń 88'

Wisła II Kraków: Kamil Broda - Kuba Wiśniewski, Jakub Złoch, Daniel Ramírez, Jakub Niewiadomski - Karol Tokarczyk (79' Piotr Ćwik), Michał Zimon, Dawid Olejarka, Dominik Sarga (87' Marcin Bartoń), Karol Sałamaj - Kamil Kaczówka