Six hours without a goal

It was the end of the 2015/2016 season and Jan Urban – who is now the coach of Górnik Zabrze, Lech’s next opponent – led the team. The squad didn’t find the back of the net for five consecutive games – in the league against Pogoń Szczecin (0:1), Lechia Gdańsk (0:0), Cracovia (0:2), and Zagłębie Lubin (0:3), as well as in the Polish Cup final against Legia Warsaw (0:1). However if we add the two games before and after the goalless series – against Piast Gliwice (2:2), when Lech scored in the 38^th minute, and against Ruch Chorzów (3:0) when the players put the ball in the net in the 26^th minute – we have a total of 528 minutes without a goal, that is, nearly 9 hours. However, it’s not the longest goal-free streak in Lech’s history. The ‘record’ dates back to the 1970s when the team from Poznań didn’t score a goal for nearly 12 hours. Now, the unfortunate streak has been going on for 360 minutes – the last time that Lech celebrated a goal was when Filip Szymczak converted a penalty kick in the 30^th minute of the clash with Jagiellonia Białystok (2:1). Since then, Rumak’s players failed to beat the defensive lines of the following opponents: Śląsk Wrocław (0:0), Pogoń Szczecin (0:1), and Raków Częstochowa (0:4).

In total, 360 minutes, that is, nearly 6 hours. “We haven’t had many [goal-scoring] opportunities in the past games. But when we do have one, we fail to convert it. Of course, there is the psychological aspect – when you score a goal, it’s much easier to do it again because you gain self-confidence. And when you fail to score, it affects the whole team and makes the atmosphere on the pitch more anxious,” explained Lech’s coach, Mariusz Rumak.

What is the solution to this problem? Practice. “We have been working a lot of the offence in the recent weeks. It comes down mainly to the form on the day of the game and the confidence of the offensive players. We talk a lot about it and try to improve the things that aren’t working well. And we will keep on doing so. The key is to improve the quality of the goal-scoring opportunities we create,” said the coach. On Saturday, Lech will have a chance to end this poor streak in the clash with Górnik Zabrze.