From the Stala club chronicle – there was a match against Górnik Zabrze (part 27)
This time we go back in time to our memories of the 1994/95 season. Three rounds before the end of the season, Stal were still unsure of their place in the Premier League (four teams were relegated), while Górnik were aiming for third place (3 points behind GKS Katowice) and a place in the UEFA Cup. Despite the fact that the opponent looked good on that day in defence, presented speed in offensive actions and good technical training, it was the Mielec players who played the best game in the spring round – as stated by Jan Złomańczuk, coach of the white-blue team, in his post-match statement for Sport Katowice. The FKS players focused on attack from the first minutes, but it was the opponent who missed an empty goal in the 16th minute thanks to Kubik. Mielanie took the lead
9 minutes later, when Bogusław Cygan, the best player on that day in the local team, after playing the ball around with young Domarski, laid the ball out like a tray to Krzysztof Łętosza, who opened the scoring. In less than 120 seconds (40-41 minutes) there was a chance to increase the lead, but excellent opportunities (Domarski’s shot was deflected by Kłak, Cygan’s header over the crossbar) were wasted. In the reverse fixture, Górnik took advantage of a gift of an unfortunate play by Kaczówka, who, wanting to kick the ball into the box, played it straight to Marek Szemoński and the scoreboard showed a 1-1 draw.
In the second leg, the visitors stepped up their game, with future national team player Tomasz Hajto being the main target. And again the Steelers took the lead after 11 minutes. Bogus Cygan was stopped irregularly in the penalty area by Tęsiorowski and our team’s top scorer confidently took advantage of the arbiter’s dictated eleven. The rivals from Upper Silesia also did not waste their penalty kick (Brzoza), which was whistled by the arbiter after Adamus played with his hand. In the end, both sides wanted to tip the balance of victory in their favour, but it was our footballers who struck the decisive blow. Cygan’s accurate pass went to Rafał Domarski, who completed the formalities. In the rematch, Hajta’s bomb from a free-kick
and Nosal’s strike did not change the final result. For the black Cameroonian Ebénézer Mfomou (who still remembers him in Mielec?!), it was his seventh and final appearance for our team. After this victory, the Stalowcy had a three-point lead over the relegation zone two series of games before the end of the struggle, but they were trembling for retention until the last minutes of the season.
31.05.1995 – Mielec, 32nd round 1st league, Stal Mielec – Górnik Zabrze 3-2 (1-1)
Referee: Walczak (Łódź) Spectators: 2,369
Stal: Wyparło – Adamus, Federkiewicz, Tomanek, Czyrek, Piechota (46 Oprzondek), Kloc, Kaczówka, Łętocha (81 Mfomou), Cygan, Domarski Coach: J. Złomańczuk
Górnik: Kłak – Tęsiorowski, Brzoza (ż), Zadylak, Hajto, Gruszka, Agafon, Koseła, Kubik (56 Kraczkiewicz, ż), Tarachulski (71 Nosal), Szemoński Coach: E. Lorens
Goals: Łętocha 25, Cygan 56 (penalty), Domarski 83 – Szemoński 43, Brzoza 65 (penalty) min.
Stal’s league balances against Górnik at the two highest levels of the competition are as follows: in the Premier League the two teams faced each other 51 times (8 wins for Stal, 17 draws, 26 defeats; goals: 43-83), in the Second League they competed 2 times (1 draw, 1 defeat, goals: 2-3). There were two duels in the Polish Cup (2 defeats, goals: 1-5).
Leszek Śledziona
Photo: from the collection of Marcin Rzeszutek from Mielec
