Summary of the Academy weekend: March 9-10

Another league weekend has passed, with plenty of matches featuring young players from the Wisła Kraków Football Academy. Here's a quick summary of the results for the CLJ U-15, CLJ U-16, CLJ U-17, CLJ U-19, and Wisła II Kraków teams.

The U-13 team played in the Elite Cup tournament

Last weekend was a weekend of competition for Wisła Kraków's U-13 team in the Elite Cup tournament. Coach Michał Tyrka's team finished 12th in Nowiny.

The U-13 team hasn't been idle, and this weekend they played in the heavily contested Elite Cup tournament in Nowiny. Wisła played six group stage matches on Saturday, ultimately finishing fifth. The Kraków team recorded two wins and four losses.

On Sunday, the Reymont team battled for places 9-12, where they were defeated by Jagiellonia Białystok (after a penalty shootout) and Resovia Rzeszów. Ultimately, the Wisła team in Nowiny finished 12th.

"Both Sunday matches were very evenly matched, and in fact, any outcome was possible. Unfortunately, if you make more mistakes than your opponent, it's hard to think of winning. Looking at the tournament as a whole, I'm not entirely satisfied with the result we achieved. I believe we can achieve better results. Sometimes, however, we can't prove our superiority with goals, and that's where we suffer. Defeats definitely shape and toughen us up, and I hope it will be an impetus for us to work even harder," concluded U-13 coach Michał Tyrka.

U-14: sparring with Garbarnia to a draw

Wisła Kraków U-14 players tested their skills against their peers from Garbarnia Kraków on Saturday. The friendly match ended 3-3, marking the penultimate test for coach Dawid Ślusarczyk's players before the resumption of league play.

Last Saturday, the U-14 team played another friendly match in the preseason. Coached by Dawid Ślusarczyk, the team faced local rivals Garbarnia Kraków away. The match ultimately ended in a 3-3 draw, with Szymon Wal (a trial player) and Jakub Witkowski scoring twice for the White Star.

The U-14 team's coaching staff watched several players undergoing testing during Saturday's friendly. Alongside Wal, Dawid Świątek, Filip Cyboroń, and Fabian Banaś (all DAP Dębica) also showcased their skills.

"This was our penultimate friendly of the preseason and, moreover, our last opportunity to test our trial players. I'm particularly pleased with how the first half went. We were able to dominate the game, possessing the ball and creating scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, we didn't follow up this advantage with further goals. The second half was more even, and both teams had their chances. I'm optimistic about the upcoming matches, in which we want to showcase attacking football based on possession and creating space in the high zone," said Dawid Ślusarczyk, the U-14 team's manager.

The last test for the U-14 team before the start of the league games will be Sunday's friendly against Hutnik Kraków (5 p.m.).

Garbarnia Kraków U-14 - Wisła Kraków U-14 3:3
Goals for Wisła: Szymon Wal, Jakub Witkowski (x2)

Wisła Kraków U-14 (starting lineup): Guzik - Sobociński-Prokop, Banaś (tested), Prokurat - Cyboroń (tested), Kokoszka, Wolańczyk - Świątek (tested), Surma - Pyrczak, Wal (tested).

Substitutes' bench: Spyrka, Witkowski, Kuźma, Jałowiecki, Zaszczudłowicz, Zych, Mróz, Mężyk

CLJ U-15: loss to Stal Rzeszów

Wisła Kraków U-15 lost 3-0 to Stal Rzeszów in the second round of the spring round of the U-15 Central Junior League. The visitors decided the match by halftime when they stunned Krystian Żakowicz's team three times.

The young Wisła players will not have a successful start to the spring round of the CLJ U-15 competition. In the opening of the spring football season, coach Krystian Żakowicz's players lost away to Sandecja Nowy Sącz 2-3, and on Saturday they were unable to cope with the Stal Rzeszów team, which turned out to be the best in the autumn round.

The Rzeszów team decided Saturday's match by halftime, scoring three goals against the White Star. However, the outcome of the match could have been entirely different if Wisła had converted one of their chances at 0-0, hitting the post. Stal responded with a counterattack, which opened the scoring.

The second goal, however, was the result of an individual error just outside their own penalty area, which the Rzeszów team capitalized on with aplomb. Stal added a third just before halftime.

"We conceded three goals due to our own unforced errors. Stal applied pressure, which was more or less effective, but we definitely could have done better in scoring opportunities. Stal was better in the first half, and our play was nervous," says Krystian Żakowicz, coach of the U-15 team.

After the break, Wisła were unable to respond and ultimately left the field defeated.

"The match looked completely different in the second half. The game evened out. We managed to create a few chances, but we couldn't score a single goal. We're very unhappy with that. For the last 20 minutes, our opponents played with a man down and we dominated the pitch, but our problem was our efficiency. In both matches played in the spring, we made individual mistakes when we conceded goals, which we need to work on. We also need to focus on being more effective when we do have the upper hand. This is crucial, because opponents can often turn such situations to their advantage. However, we take into account that the boys are developing and such situations will happen. We're more concerned about individual errors," adds the U-15 team manager.

In the third series of games, the White Star will face Korona Kielce away.

CLJ U-15: Wisła Kraków - Stal Rzeszów 0:3 (0:3)

Wisła Kraków U-15 (starting lineup): Piotr Nowacki - Daniel Zdeb (C), Kacper Kopijka, Radosław Krasek, Przemysław Gołąb - Oliwier Kozak, Jakub Idziak, Patryk Cichy - Mateusz Pałka, Alan Bąk, Piotr Hejmo.

Also playing: Karol Łakomy, Oskar Kukuła, Bartosz Wajda, Wiktor Maziarz, Jan Szczepaniak, Dawid Kubik.

U-17: Victorious clash with Korona

The U-17 team traveled to Kielce for the 19th round of the Central Junior League, where they faced their peers from Industria Korona Kielce. The match was full of exciting moments, and the Kraków team emerged victorious, defeating the hosts 4-2 thanks to goals from Łukasz Staniow, Nathan Lis (penalty), Aleksy Rokosz, and Bruno Skoczek.

The U-19s approached the match against Kielce after last week's painful 1-2 defeat to KKP Korona Kielce. The Kraków team was fully motivated to avenge their defeat in the previous round, and in today's match, they took the initiative from the very first minutes. They quickly began to dominate possession and pose a threat near the home goal, which resulted in their first goal on target in the third minute. After an exchange of passes in midfield, Jakub Janiszewski received the ball, then passed it to Łukasz Staniów, who fired home. Kraków remained in control of the game and soon launched a similar attack. Maciej Szmydt, following a pass from Janiszewski, shot on target, but his shot was blocked. The referee then awarded a penalty to the Reymont team, but then reversed his decision, momentarily throwing the visitors off their stride. The hosts soon took control, capitalizing on a misplaced pass from the Kraków team, finding themselves one-on-one with the goalkeeper and equalizing. The goal spurred the home side to search for more opportunities, and soon after, a Korona player created another one-on-one, but this time the White Star goalkeeper showed quick reflexes.

After the break, Wisła pushed for goals and won a penalty in the 56th minute, which Nathan Lis confidently converted, giving his team the lead. The Kraków team didn't rest on their laurels, building on a well-organized attack. After one of these, Aleksy Rokosz received a good pass from Eryk Daczewski and excelled, scoring the Kraków team's third goal. The hosts immediately responded with a touch goal, sending the ball behind the back and then beating the White Star goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation. However, Wisła's players put the finishing touches on the situation – after a corner, one of their players shot towards goal, the goalkeeper saved, then the rebound, and a Korona defender cleared the ball. However, Bruno Skoczek was on hand to finish the situation with a well-placed shot.

"We started the match well, having a significant advantage in possession and creating numerous chances in front of Korona's goal. Ultimately, one of our moves resulted in a goal early on. After another, the referee awarded a penalty, which he later overturned, and that was the moment that broke our rhythm. During the break, we decided what we wanted to use in our game, and as a result, one of the goals we scored came in the situation we had planned, which is very satisfying. I think we showed great determination in our actions today, which should make us happy, as we have a really challenging match behind us," said U-17 coach Patryk Jałocha after the match.

Industria Korona Kielce U-17 - Wisła Kraków U-17 2:4 (1:1)
Goals for Wisła: Łukasz Staniów, Nathan Lis (k.), Aleksy Rokosz, Bruno Skoczek

Wisła Kraków U-1 7: Kacper Pisarek - Eryk Daczewski, Szymon Urbanik, Dawid Szczepaniak - Nathan Lis, Jan Molenda, Antoni Wójcik, Jakub Janiszewski - Łukasz Staniów, Szymon Kawała, Maciej Szmydt

Also played: Karol Dołkin, Mateusz Kania, Jakub Małek, Filip Michałowski, Aleksy Rokosz, Bruno Skoczek, Kacper Trznadel

U-19: defeat in Lubin

Wisła Kraków U-19s lost 2-0 to Zagłębie Lubin in their away match in Round 18 of the Central Junior League. The Miedź team proved their superiority after the break, finding the back of the net twice, thanks to Jakub Kowalski's goal.

After losing in the delayed match of the 17th round against Arka Gdynia, coach Karol Nędza's players started the spring round of the Central Junior League U-19 with an away match against Zagłębie Lubin.

The match played in Lubin was incredibly even. Miedź enjoyed more possession, but this didn't translate into scoring opportunities. The White Star players, however, found their chances on counterattacks. Both teams went into the break goalless. Immediately after the break, Wiktor Benedyktowicz and Mateusz Stanek, who has played for Wisła's second team, entered the field.

The hosts opened the scoring five minutes after the restart, when Wisła lost the ball to a misplaced pass from Dawid Gap. The Lubin players launched a counterattack, forcing Jakub Kowalski, making his league debut with the U-19 team, to pick the ball out of the net.

Zagłębie, however, struck the decisive blow just before the end of the match. In the 88th minute, with a numerical advantage (one of their opponents had received a red card), coach Karol Nędza's men risked everything and surged towards Zagłębie's penalty area, hoping for an equalizer. The hosts then launched a counterattack that ultimately decided the match.

"We did everything we could to achieve a good result in this match. The players left a lot of health and heart on the pitch to face their opponents. Zagłębie were better than us at certain moments and capitalized on their opportunities. Our opponents had more possession, but we fought back with dangerous counterattacks. We will continue to work hard to translate what we are working on in the weekly micro-cycle into match conditions," summed up coach Karol Nędza.

Wisła's next match will be a home match against Industria Korona Kielce. The match will take place on Saturday, March 16th at the Krakow Academy of Physical Education, with a kick-off time of 12:00 noon.

CLJ U-19: Zagłębie Lubin - Wisła Kraków 2:0 (0:0)

Wisła Kraków U-19: Jakub Kowalski - Maciej Pachel (90. Karol Kurczyna), Radosław Skała(C), Marcin Górkiewicz, Michał Prochwicz (58. Maciej Jania) - Yehor Khromykh, Bartłomiej Sowa (90. Kacper Symula), Maksym Tsymbaliuk (58. Tomasz Dusik), Dawid Gap (85. Borys Płotka) - Hugo Woyna-Orlewicz (46. Wiktor Benedyktowicz), Radosław Wójcicki (46. Mateusz Stanek).

Wisła II: Sparring victory against Kalwarianka

The White Star reserve team has played their final friendly before the start of the spring round of the JAKO IV League. Wisła defeated Kalwarianka Kalwaria Zebrzydowska 4-3 at home in a fiercely contested match, thanks to goals from Karol Sałamaj, Karol Tokarczyk, Wiktor Szywacz, and Maciej Hajdara.

A week before the league resumed, the Reymont team had the opportunity to test their mettle against league rivals Kalwarianka Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Wisła started the match well and, right after the first whistle, they launched a move, which saw Karol Sałamaj play a pass from the right to Dominik Sarga, but Sarga mishandled the ball and was unable to get a shot off. The match quickly began to even out, with both teams going head-to-head to open the scoring. The visitors succeeded – after a corner kick, one of their players shot past the Wisła goalkeeper and into the net. After taking the lead, Kalwarianka enjoyed a better spell of play, while the Kraków team had to fend off attacks from their onrushing opponents. However, Wisła managed to get back on track and began creating clear-cut chances. First, Marc Grau shot over the bar, and moments later, Karol Tokarczyk burst into the penalty area with the ball. The striker's shot was blocked by a visiting defender, but Dominik Sarga attempted to finish but missed the target. Before the break, the home side attempted to respond, creating further opportunities, but were unable to equalize.

Exchange of blows and victory for Wisła

The start of the second half was a showcase of strong play from the Reymont team. Wisła quickly gained possession, exchanged several passes outside the penalty area, and Karol Tokarczyk fired a shot on target, but the opposing goalkeeper showed quick reflexes. The visitors weren't about to give the hosts away easily, trying to create further scoring opportunities, but it was the Kraków team that finally got their way, and Karol Sałamaj equalized in the 52nd minute. Following up on the momentum, the home side won a free kick just a few dozen seconds later. The shot bounced off the crossbar and Dominik Sarga found the back of the net, but Karol Tokarczyk had the final say, slotting the ball behind his opponent to make it 2-1. Kalwaria quickly organized and once again outplayed the Wisła goalkeeper, but as it turned out, conceding a second goal didn't derail the momentum – in the 63rd minute, Wiktor Szywacz delivered a perfect long-range shot, giving the opposing goalkeeper no chance. The teams continued to play a close game, searching for further scoring opportunities, but this time it was Kalwaria who regained the initiative and found the back of the net for Wisła in the 70th minute. The final minutes of the match were also marked by strong play and impressive saves from both goalkeepers. Ultimately, Maciej Hajdara tipped the scales in favor of the home side, scoring in the 88th minute to make it 4-3.

Wisła II Kraków - Kalwarianka Kalwaria Zebrzydowska 4:3 (0:1)
Goals for Wisła: Karol Sałamaj 52', Karol Tokarczyk 55', Wiktor Szywacz 60', Maciej Hajdara 88'

Wisła II Kraków: Kacper Szewczyk (60' Arkadiusz Krzyżanowski) - Karol Sałamaj (74' Filip Baniowski), Jakub Złoch (74' Oliwier Micek), Oliwier Micek (67' Maciej Hajdara), Jakub Madej (46' Jakub Niewiadomski) - Marc Grau (46' Michał Zimon), Karol Dziedzic - Wiktor Szywacz (76' Alex Bugaj), Karol Tokarczyk (60' Piotr Ćwik), Filip Baniowski (46' Kamil Kaczówka) - Dominik Sarga (80' Karol Sałamaj)

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