Lech defeat Inter!

17th July 2010

© PD Lech: Important win Share:

Lech Poznan secured an important away victory this week over Azerbaijan champions Inter Baku in their first qualifying round game of this year’s Champion’s League. New signing Artur Wichniarek got his second spell with the railwaymen off to a good start with the only goal of the match just after the break. After a lively first 45, in which both sides tried to attack, Wichniarek finally got his reward for his efforts after a massive cock-up in the Baku defence. Stilic fed the ball through, and Wichniarek toe-poked the ball home.

The goal seemed to knock the belief out of the Azeri side. Their chaotic attacks were a world away from the style they showed in the first half. Only in the 70th minute did they manage to get through one-on-one with the Lech keeper, but the Baku striker passed the ball tamely into Kotorowski’s hands.

Despite frantic efforts by Inter in the closing minutes, they failed to pose any threat in front of goal and the Poznan side carried a welcome advantage into the home leg of the tie scheduled for next Wednesday. Hopes will be high that Lech can enjoy a similar run to the one they experienced two years ago in the UEFA Cup; a campaign which also began with a 1-0 win in Baku.

Even before the match, midfielder Slawomir Peszko had spoken of the electrifying effect of such a cup run. “A good cup run inspires you to do well in the league. I really like playing every three days. There are no pauses, you just go full steam ahead to December. It’s good for the fans and the club gets more money. If we could get into the Champion’s League proper, we could dominate Polish football for a good few years. That’s what all the players want.”

Lech will surely not be able to rely on 33-year-old Wichniarek for all their goals, though, and are making strenuous efforts to add youthful energy to the experience in their attacking ranks. Two new young strikers are on the verge of signing for the Polish champions; Latvian Artjoms Rudnevs and Congolese Joel Tshibamba.

Rudnevs is a 22-year-old who has already played for the national side and experienced league soccer in Hungary. Tshibamba, who also has Dutch citizenship, was one of the surprises of last season’s Ekstraklasa. Joining Arka Gdynia for the second half of the season, he managed five goals in twelve appearances and looked a lively customer.

Lech Sporting Director, Marek Pogorzelczyk told Przeglad Sportowy, “Discussions are ongoing, but we’re close to signing contracts with them both.”