Wisla Krakow 2-1 Cracovia, Saturday 12th August 2017

Wisla Krakow 2-1 Cracovia (Ekstraklasa, att. 25,523)

Welcome to...a model of the stadium.

The Krakow Derby.  I’d been looking forward to this one.  Having seen various Polish matches, and enjoyed the atmospheres they often entail, as well as seeing YouTube footage of previous Krakow derby games, I hoped and expected (literal) fireworks.  I was to be disappointed.

Looking towards the Main Stand.

Whilst not exactly helping the situation by getting there after kick-off, I never saw a flare or a banner in the crowd all night.  I did though see a Wisla fan with a T-shirt depicting a Jew in Cracovia colours with a line drawn through him.  This in the city of Schindler's factory.  That is not to say the crowd were quiet.  The home end in particular got behind the team or insulted Cracovia.  No, the main problem was there weren't any away fans.  In a derby.  Why not?

Charming.

Cracovia took the lead in the 20th minute.  I didn't see it coming and nor did I see it being scored.  I was looking at the crowd.  Even their reaction confused me as I thought Wisla had misplaced a pass.  I also thought this would be good for the game, Cracovia being underdogs and all.  The match then died a death till the 70th minute.  Wisla were devoid of creativity and though having more possession, looked the less likely to score.  The crowd were becoming increasingly tense.

Worried Wisla fans.

Then a lifeline.  A foul on the halfway line and the ref decides to brandish a yellow card. Harsh, I thought.  He'd forgiven worse.  Unfortunately, it was this guy's second and he was off.  Again, great for the game, if not for Cracovia.  Within a few minutes Wisla had equalised.  Carlos Lopez (great Polish name) dribbles through two players and drives it past the keeper.  Class.  Could Cracovia hold out?

The home end gets behind their team.

Well, despite their players collapsing every time they were tackled, no.  In the last minute of normal time, a low cross was whipped in from the left and that man Lopez got his studs to it for another lethal finish.  Wisla had pinched it at the last.  With no away fans, everyone was happy.

Cracovia's keeper comes up in last-ditch desperation.

I’d bought my ticket in person a few days previous.  Having witnessed first hand the madness of the home end on a previous visit, I went large: upper tier, by the side of the pitch.  I was determined to enjoy a sitdown.  Unfortunately, the stadium is harder to find in the dark, with a miniscule map, restricted lighting and no internet on my phone.  Thus, arriving late, I couldn't get to my seat for fans standing in the way.  I ended up perched in the aisle itself, standing, but with a great view.

Final score.

At half time I went for my second klobasa (sausage) and beer but all the hot food had run out and I was one of the first on the concourse, given position near the exit.  Not to worry, my diet has been very poor of late, consisting only of pastries, and sausages, and beer.  How long does it take to get scurvy? Or rickets?

Cracovia prepared to defend a free kick in front of an empty away end.

Things have changed in terms of the stadium compared to my last visit 9 years ago, when I chanced upon a Champions League qualifier when visiting Krakow. Back then, the main stand was mostly open to the elements, while the opposite tribune (which I was in tonight) simply wasn't there, it's predecessor having been knocked down and removed.   I'd show you the pics if they hadn't accidentally been deleted by work (b*stards).

The players (and dragon) give thanks.

Nowadays, both sides are twp-tiered while behind the goals both stands are one tier, though the stands merge together apart from the corner between the away fans and the main stand, where some ugly office block is situated (probably containing the police control room).  From the inside, the stadium is a smart, modern 33,000 capacity venue.However, the outside of the stadium already looks tired and in need of a spruce-up.

The Damage:

PLZ 55 ent.  (The cheapest were PLZ 40.)

PLZ 10 klobasa

PLZ 8 beer (x2)

= PLZ 81

Match panorama

After-match panorma

Looking towards the away corner.

A dragon waves a flag.

The attendance is announced.

Front of the home end.

The Main Stand.

Looking toward the home end at full-time.

I love the little corner extension!

Closer up.

Lower tier and exec boxes.

Arka Gdynia 3-0 Wisla Krakow, Friday 22nd July 2016

Arka Gdynia 3-0 Wisla Krakow, Ekstraklasa (att. 10,203)

Welcome to ....

Arriving early in Gdynia (too early to officially check-in at my abode), I decided I’d go and sort my match ticket out first, given the normal obstacles in Poland at the start of a season (huge queues, the need to gain a membership card). I knew where the stadium was – it’s difficult to miss the towering floodlights up the hill on the left as you enter Gdynia from the direction of Gdansk. But it’s a bloody long walk and a bit tedious. From the main railway station, the hike encompasses dual carriageways, tunnels, a shopping centre, then, when you've virtually made it (the ground’s just THERE!!) you STILL have to walk around an industrial estate before you negotiate the box office. Not a promising start, then.

No, not THOSE floodlights.  That's the rugby ground nearby.

Being TOO early, the ticket office wasn’t yet open (it was nearly 4pm; KO wasn’t till 20:30) but the club shop was. I bought a badge and asked about tickets. Would I need to be a member? Yes, and he could sign me up there and then. ID? Certainly, sir. I could then join the club shop queue or buy a ticket from the ticket office (now open). The former queue was going nowhere, so I went to the ticket office next door. Considering there were two people in front of me, I’m still not sure how it took 20 minutes to get served. I was pleased I’d taken the precaution of coming so early; closer to KO this would be horrendous.

My order was simple: one ticket. Everywhere was affordable, so I let the gods decide (ie, the ticket lady). She chose one of the corners, 30 zloty (£6). I now had four hours to kill…

The dull stadium exterior.

Fast forward and I’ve showered, relaxed, spent too much time on the free wi-fi (the scourge of the modern era) and now I’m cutting it fine. I’ll go to the station and catch a train to Gdynia Redlowo. The doors close on a train to Gdansk. I possibly see one person wearing the blue and yellow of Arka. I am already late. Fine – a signpost says it’s 2.4 km to the stadium. I decide to test that out. At my walking pace, I should make it by 8:30pm. And I do – only a security guard won’t let me around the rear of the stand; my stand is at the other end and he suggests I walk through aforesaid industrial estate and footie pitch. But isn’t it quicker going THAT way (anti-clockwise, where I’d come from earlier)? ‘No, this is quicker.’ He sounded so authoritative. I presumed there must be a cut-through. There wasn’t. I think he was having a laugh at my expense. How else do security amuse themselves?

There's me!  'Trybuna Tory'!

The match had kicked off and it sounded like an exciting start. Then a huge cheer. 1-0. Oh well. I eventually reached the stadium (again). My ticket, measuring an impressive A5 size, wouldn’t work on the unmanned turnstyle. Or the next one. Or that one. Eventually, security came over to tell us latecomers (it wasn’t just me) that those weren’t in action, come round here. What a palaver.

I was finally in, and as I climbed up the stairs, not bothering to look at my seat number, just looking for a space…another roar went up. 2-0. Christ, I’m in the ground and I STILL missed it. It’s live on telly tho, so maybe one day I’ll see highlights on youtube. Normality (normalcy?) resumes and I barely see a shot on target, though Wisla hit the bar.

The Arka Ultras

Although I am by the touchline, and the ultras are behind the goal, no-one around me is sitting down. Throughout the match, these one and a half sides chant at each other or the players, orchestrated by one of the loudest PAs I've ever heard a cheerleader be given. It even drowned out the official announcements (an accident waiting to happen?) So, there was no respite for my aching feet. I went for refreshments and to see if there was a less populated area of the ‘Trybuna Tory’. There wasn’t. Still, the sausages were HUGE and enveloped by a matching bun while the beer was cheap and fresh from the bottle.

Half time in the Big Match.

2nd half, I went back to roughly my original spot, but higher up. The view was pretty good, though if you’re too far back, you’ll have the roof supports in your vision. The stadium looks quite nice inside, a ‘bubbly’ roof above randomly generated blue and yellow seats. It was certainly nicer than the concourse and outsides of the stadium, all bare concrete and metal struts. The surrounds could do with a bit of sprucing up, but the lack of advertising made a welcome change.

Three score and none; Wisla's away support.

Another feature of my visit…and I can’t decide whether I’m irritated by this or not….was the proliferation of Cracovia shirts amongst the Arka support. Given the number of Cracovia chants as well, I guess they’re a ‘partner’ club of Arka, and they were trying to wind up the 60 or so Wisla fans who’d made the trip from Krakow. Personally, I’d rather cheer my own team on.

I wouldn't mind if they shared colours...

There was one further goal, a penalty awarded for a handball, which, judging by the transgressor, hit his chest. I couldn’t tell, but the pen was sidefooted into the corner, 3-0, job done. Time for the crowd favourite to come off the bench, receive a massive cheer, then spend 10 minutes losing the ball. He was terrible. (A search on Soccerway suggests said player…Rashid Yussuff….is English. No, me neither.)

GOOOAAALLLL! (The one I saw.)

Home time, and no walk back for me. I followed the crowd to the nearest railway station (Redlowo?) then followed the trail of cans and bottles to a garage selling Paulaner. Since others were picking up 2 or 3 cans of beer, I figured there was time. There was no way I wanted to walk back, again.

The Damage: 
PLZ 30 ent
PLZ 10 badge
PLZ 10 kielbasa (sausage) x 2
PLZ 5 beer (Lech?)
= PLZ 65 (£12.50)

The Tunes: 
various EPs (Curve)
The 3 EPs (Beta Band) 
Bummed (Happy Mondays) 
Tongue ‘n’ Cheek (Dizzie Rascal)

Stadion Miejski panorama

A fan celebrates the penalty award.

Fans salute the victors.

Full time, hand shakes all round.

The Tribuna Tory in all its glory.

The rugby team's armadillo-like stand.

Bus timetable at stadium.

The TV lorry.

Well designed...just dull.

Wisla Krakow 5-0 Beitar Jerusalem, Wednesday 6th August 2008

Wisla Krakow 5-0 Beitar Jerusalem (6-2 on aggregate), Champions League play-off 2nd leg.

S***, I think I’ve just seen a football match as it should be.  Passionate home crowd, especially in the home ‘end’ and a team to match. Kept the ball on the floor, passed it quickly, no greediness and there was always a man spare.  Players were prepared to spread it out wide and make full use of the pitch.  5 f***ing nil.  Wisla Krakow v Beitar Jerusalem, ‘Champions’ League, winner to play Barcelona.

I’m at a loss to understand how it’s the ‘Champions League. ‘Lesser’countries such as Poland..or Israel (don’t get me started on Israel being in Europe)…getting a sh*tty stab at qualification for the ‘Champions League’  despite being champions in their own country while Barca (runners-up? 3^rd? who cares?) get to miss a round of qualification, irrespective of whether it’s ‘right’ they have a chance at all. How many places do Spain, Italy, England, etc get?  Which begs the question, HOW did UEFA get the turkeys to vote for Christmas?  How did the likes of Poland, Hungary, Sweden…the ‘minor’leagues…vote for such a concept?

As if proving my point about it being  a perfect night of footie, I wrote the above while sat outside a pub, having a beer after the game.  No doubt looking suspicious, I was accosted by a group of Wisla fans and soon became part of their gang.  I found out: - Wisla have 2 home ‘friendship’ teams, Legia Gdansk and Wroclaw. Hence why there was many a green and white Legia scarf (Wisla play in red and white). - they hate local rivals Cracovia, who, despite playing in what looks like a non-league ground (by English standards) are top division. - Wisla have won 11 Polish championships, including 6 in the last 10 years

But how did I come to be here?  Sightseeing in Krakow, what better to do than have a look at the football ground?  What I didn’t know, or expect, was that there was a game on that night – a Champions League qualifier.   I found out when some attractive young female sports reporter wanted to interview me about the game – before she realised I wasn’t even Polish.  I wondered what I was going to do in the evening…

As it is, Wisla and Cracovia’s grounds are just across the park from each other, so you can have a gleg (look) at both.  Cracovia, down at heel, looks rusty and forlorn, Wisla very much upwardly mobile; two brand new stands behind each goal and a 4^th side which has is just about to be rebuilt.  I think they’re hoping for a European Championship gig in 2012.


***My photos got deleted upon my return to England.  My abiding memory is of a Wisla fan so drunk he was puking everywhere, inside their beautiful new home end.