Lech Poznań - AEK Larnaca 1:3

The clash with AEK Larnaca was Lech’s 3^rd training match of the 2019/20 pre-season. In the past two games, the team from Poznan faced Widzew Lodz and Brondby IF. After finishing the training camp in Opalenica, Lech’s squad travelled to Wronki where the fixture against the team from Cyprus was to be held. It was a great opportunity for the coaching staff to test all the players that haven’t had many occasions to show what they’re capable yet.

In the 4^th minute, Lech’s defensive line was in trouble for the first time that evening. Trickovski, a former Legia Warsaw player, dribbled past Lech’s keeper and placed the ball in the back of the net. Shortly afterwards, in the 10^th minute, Skrzypczak unintentionally fouled one of the Cyprus players in his own box and Trickovski converted the penalty kick into a second goal. That put Lech in a very hard position hence the players from Poznan started focusing on the offensive in an attempt to catch up with their rival.

Finally, in the 31^st minute, the Polish side attacked bravely. High pressing forced Larnaka’s team to make a mistake; Skrzypczak recovered the loose ball and sent a pass to Makuszewski. The latter handed the ball on a silver platter to Marchwinski. Unluckily for Lech, the 17-year-old’s shot was easily stopped by the keeper. Hence, the score remained unchanged until halftime.

In the second half, the team from Poznan performed visibly better. Lech stayed in possession of the ball for longer periods of time and the players worked hard to create scoring chances for Zhamaletdinov. The Russian forward came close to surprising Larnaca’s goalkeeper but the latter triumphed in a direct clash. Similarly, in the next offensive attack led by Zhamaletdinov and Marchwinski, the keeper intervened without an error, successfully stopping Lech from scoring.

Kulps was also very active in the offence but most of the times, his partners weren’t there to support him during his individual runs. In the closing minutes of the game, the squad from Cyprus attacked dangerously and in the midst of chaos, they scored the third goal. Lech managed to pull one back shortly before the final whistle; Jevtic’s cross into the box was accidentally redirected into the back of the net by one of Larnaca players. The game ended with a 3:1 win for the Cyprian team. It was Lech’s first loss of the current pre-season.

Lech Poznań – AEK Larnaca 1:3 (0:2)

Goal: own goal (90.) - Ivan Trickovski (4, 10. - penalty), Anastasiou (86.)

Lech Poznań: Miłosz Mleczko (64. Karol Szymański) – Michał Skóraś (64. Tymoteusz Klupś), Wiktor Pleśnierowicz (64. Thomas Rogne), Djordje Crnomarković (46. Tomasz Dejewski, 64. Djordje Crnomarković), Tymoteusz Puchacz (46. Volodymyr Kostevych) – Mateusz Skrzypczak (64. Karlo Muhar), Jakub Moder (64. Pedro Tiba) – Maciej Makuszewski (46. Tomasz Cywka), Filip Marchwiński (64. Darko Jevtić), Jakub Kamiński (64. Tymoteusz Puchacz) – Timur Zhamaletdinov (64. Joao Amaral)

AEK Larnaca (starting line-up): Antonio Ramirez - Joan Turyols, Ivan Trickovski, Hector Havel, Ignacio Cases, Mikel Gonzalez, Thomas Ioannou, Lluis Sastre, Simranjit Thandi, Konstantinos Konstantinou, Apostolos Giannou