#PoPucharWi5ło, or this is what the road to the final looked like

May 2, 2024, is a date clearly marked on every Wisła Kraków fan's calendar. That's when the White Star will face Pogoń Szczecin in the Polish Cup final at the National Stadium. Before the dream of appearing in the grand final could become a reality, however, fans and players alike had to navigate a bumpy road, which will ultimately end in Warsaw. Wisła Kraków played five matches en route to the final. We invite you to a brief recap of these thrilling matches!

First up, Lechia

Wisła's first opponent in the 70th edition of the Polish Cup was Lechia Gdańsk. The match took place on September 28th at R22 and provided plenty of excitement for the gathered fans, as it required extra time to decide the outcome. The match ended 2-1.

Dawid Olejarka opened the scoring for the hosts in the 21st minute. The Wisła midfielder got to the ball just outside the penalty area, feinted, and placed a low shot just inside the post, giving the visiting 18-year-old goalkeeper no chance.

Gdańsk were forced to chase the score. A series of substitutions in the second half helped them seize the attacking initiative, but they only managed to equalize in stoppage time. In a frantic finale, referee Przybył awarded two penalties for fouls within the Kraków penalty area. After a foul, Luis Fernandez stepped up to take the penalty, and his shot found Kamil Broda's gloves. The Kraków goalkeeper was in excellent form that day, but another attempt from 11 meters forced him to surrender. After a handball and a VAR review, Fernandez was given a chance to redeem himself, and this time he made no mistake. The clock showed the 97th minute, and we soon entered the extra half-hour.

Only one goal was scored in extra time, courtesy of Angel Baena. The Spaniard was alert in front of the Lechia goal and, in the 105th minute, he slotted Mikułko's deflected shot into the net from close range, making the score 2-1. The White and Greens had their chances, but were unable to capitalize. They also had to finish the match shorthanded, as Maksym Khlan received a second yellow card. This sent the White Star into the next round of the Polish Cup!

Clash with Polonia

The draw for the next round pitted Wisła Kraków against Polonia Warsaw. On November 7th at the Reymonta Stadium, the score was 3-0 to the home side, although the fans in the stands had to wait over an hour for the first goal.

The outcome of the match was largely determined by a quickly shown red card. The opposing midfielder, Jakub Piątek, collected two yellow cards in the space of 35 minutes, forcing his team to play with a man down for most of the match.

Radosław Sobolewski's side dominated from the first whistle, but they were unable to convert their advantage into a goal. The White Star continually pushed for an opening goal, but after 45 minutes the score remained goalless.

The pace of play remained unchanged after the break. The challenges of playing shorthanded began to weigh on the visitors, and in the 68th minute, Szymon Sobczak broke the Kraków side's offensive weakness. The referees continued to check for a possible offside position, after which the ball was placed in the middle of the pitch. Further goals seemed only a matter of time. In the 84th minute, Bartosz Jaroch doubled the lead with a free kick, and after a mix-up in the penalty area, Ángel Rodado finished the scoring in the 89th. In stoppage time, Wisła could have scored a fourth goal – the hosts were awarded a penalty after a handball, but it was saved by Lemanowicz. Wisła secured a spot in the round of 16 with three goals!

Shooting festival with Stal

Exactly one month later, on December 7th, Wisła Kraków faced Stal Rzeszów. The draw was once again a lucky one for the Kraków team, as the White Star were once again the home team. The players in red shirts proved to be a real success, winning by a resounding 4-1 score.

Wisła quickly took the lead. Dawid Szot joined the attacking action in the seventh minute and converted a pass from Goku, opening the scoring. The visitors were unsuccessful in their attempts to respond, squandering the opportunities they had created. Led by Mariusz Jop, the team tried to extend their lead in the first half, but no further shots found the back of the net in the second half.

However, they did manage to do so five minutes after the second-half whistle. Ángel Rodado scored with a header in the 50th minute, and Bartosz Talar scored the third goal in the 52nd minute. After these two quick strikes, Wisła was in a very comfortable position.

The visitors from Rzeszów could only muster a consolation goal that day. In the 66th minute, youngster Szymon Kądziołka scored to make it 3-1. However, the home side's reaction was immediate – after the restart, Rodado passed the ball to Patryk Gogół, who finished off a lightning-fast attack, keeping the score at 4-1 from the 67th minute. From that moment on, the excitement died down. Wisła calmed down, preserving their precious energy, while Stal clearly lost faith in their ability to turn the match around. The crowd witnessed a whopping five goals that day. The White Star advanced to the quarterfinals, where only their top-flight opponents awaited them.

Thriller with Widzew

Fate decreed that on February 28th, a friendly match between Wisła Kraków and Widzew Łódź in the Polish Cup quarterfinals would take place. The Kraków team, representing a lower division, was immediately guaranteed a home game. This heralded not only excitement on the pitch but also a fantastic atmosphere in the stands. After a long battle, Wisła emerged victorious 2-1.

The clash between two footballing powerhouses began in a way many pundits hadn't expected. The first half was clearly dominated by the first-division hosts. They dictated the flow of the match, but struggled to convert their impressive form into goals. After three-quarters of an hour, the scoreboard read 0-0. During the break, Łódź coach Daniel Myśliwiec cleaned up his players' play. Widzew began to play noticeably better and gradually took the initiative. Their constant attacks finally paid off – in the 80th minute, Bartłomiej Pawłowski stepped up after winning a penalty and confidently opened the scoring.

Due to the heated nature of the entire match, the match was ultimately extended by over 20 minutes. Wisła relentlessly pushed for an equalizer, but Rafał Gikiewicz, who was in excellent form on the day, was in goal. However, the Reds' goalkeeper eventually had to give in. The ball bounced right into the feet of our super-scorer, Ángel Rodado, who sent us into extra time just before the final whistle. Emotions were running high!

The pace of extra time slowed as both teams became increasingly fatigued. The quarterfinalists tried to judiciously allocate their energy to deliver one final blow. Wisła Kraków proved to be the more calculated "boxer" of the day, eliminating Widzew from the cup competition with a goal from Szymon Sobczak in the 119th minute. The joy and exhaustion were immense, but everyone's attention soon turned to the next stop on this incredible journey.

For a ticket with Piast

On April 3, in front of a packed house at the Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium, Wisła Kraków defeated Piast Gliwice 2-1 in the semi-final, becoming the first team to reach the final stage of the competition.

Wisła had a unique opportunity to take their club to the final for the first time in over a decade. Albert Rudé infused his players with positive energy, which paid off in the first minute of the match. Not all the fans had yet taken their seats when striker Szymon Sobczak headed in a well-placed ball, opening the scoring. From the 48th second on, the scoreboard showed a one-goal advantage for the home side!

In the 38th minute, it was 2-0! The ball from the right wing was passed to the unmarked Jesus Alfaro, who scored with a superb shot past the far post. The crowd was filled with joy – the fans felt the coveted final was now within their grasp.

A match of this magnitude could never be a one-sided affair. Piast, after the break, began to fight back. In the 54th minute, Ariel Mosór scored a goal from a corner. Both sides continued to battle, creating attacking opportunities while exposing themselves to defensive errors. However, no more goals were scored on Wednesday evening, meaning only one thing: Wisła Kraków were now just 90 minutes away from winning their fifth Polish Cup!

FOR THE CUP, WI5ŁO!