A flu-epidemic ruled-out most of the 1^st team players but Polish FA did not agree to postpone the Cup of Poland quarterfinal 1^st leg. Therefore weakened Cracovia went to Radom and… won the game 3-1! The other game of the week, against Zagłębie Lubin, was not successful. The hockey team fights for the bronze-medal, after three games Pasy lead the series 2-1.

Radomiak Radom is a third-division club, which got up to the quarterfinal beating two top division teams. When it occurred that Pasy would come to Radom without their key-players the hopes for the underdog in this clash raised. Only three first-choice players were able to play in that game and none of two first-team goalkeepers could play. But this practically reserve team performed well above expectances. Although the home team needed only five minutes to score the opener (a powerful header after a corner-kick) and minutes later their shot hit the post, Cracovia slowly started to control the game. The equalizer came in 34^th minute, as Dudzic, who substituted Kurowski just minute before, scored after Heidemann’s free-kick centre. The goal confirmed that the promising youngster Dudzic may soon turn into a classy striker. In 57^th minute Kłus intercepted the ball deep into Radomiak’s half, run towards the goal and scored with a superb shot from 16 meters into the top-left corner. Pasy finished off their rivals ten minutes later, as another youngster Kostrubała run with the ball to the by-line and passed it to Bania, who scored with a 11-meter precise shot. This confident victory puts Cracovia in a fantastic position before the second leg on April 3^rd. Qualifying to the semi-final would be a landmark in Cracovia’s history, as Pasy got that far in the Polish Cup only once – 35 years ago.

The flu epidemic had its aftermath. Weakened Cracovia could beat Radomiak, but the team, which had not fully recovered form the illness was unable to beat the vice-leader of table Zagłębie Lubin, who came to Kałuży three days after the victory in Radom. There were severe doubts whether Cracovia could physically endure 90 minutes. As long, as Pasy played with their full potential, they dominated. In 14^th minute Giza played a superb first-time ball to Radwański, who quickly passed it to Moskała and the short striker ran into the penalty area. He almost got blocked by the defense, but he played a smart ball to 11-meters spot, where Pawlusiński scored with ease. This was a perfect counter-attack and a great opener for Cracovia. Three minutes later Pasy doubled their lead as Wiśniewski scored with a header after Giza’s corner kick. But then Cracovia weakened and Zagłębie made use of it. The alarm signal came, when Chałbiński scored a goal, which was rightfully disallowed because of offside. But soon Piszczek took the advantage of Cracovia’s defense hesitancy and scored with a smart shot in 31^st minute. Some minutes later the referee awarded a dubious penalty kick for Zagłębie, but Cabaj managed to save Chałbiński’s shot. A few minutes before the half-time Cracovia had the last chance to secure the victory, but Giza’s good counter-attack was spoiled by Moskała, whose shot was saved by Vaclavik, and his second try was blocked, while many say that Moskała was fouled in the penalty area.

The second half was dominated by Zagłębie, as Cracovia lost its almost all strength. In 61^st minute Iwański scored a beautiful goal from 18-meter free-kick. 12 minutes after the equalized Zagłębie was awarded another penalty, this time it was Iwański who stepped up, and he made no mistake. Cracovia was finished-off in 77^th minute as Kolendowicz scored after Wacek’s fatal mistake. During this clash it was visible, how physically exhausted were the players after a week-long flu epidemic. Now they have two weeks to recover before the home game against Lech Poznań.

The hockey team began the bronze-medal series against Stoczniowiec Gdańsk. The two teams seem to be really disappointed after not qualifying to the great final and their players seem unmotivated. The first game was easily won by Cracovia, as Pasy scored three goals and managed to keep the rivals at bay, which resulted in Radziszewski’s shootout. The second game played in Gdańsk was also rather an easy and confident win for Cracovia, this time it was 3-1. When many prepared for the bronze-medal decoration after the third game in Kraków, Stoczniowiec managed to spoil these plans as they scored five goals, while Cracovia again scored three. The third game showed that it may be necessary to play all five games to show, who would win the bronze-medal.

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14.03.2007

RADOMIAK RADOM – CRACOVIA 1 : 3 (1 : 1)

1:0 - Kowalczyk 5’
1:1 - Dudzic 34’
1:2 - Kłus 57’
1:3 - Bania 67’

Radomiak: Stawiarski - Michalski, Pacan, Wachowicz, Skórnicki, Czpak, Lewandowski (72′ Barzyński), Kacprzak 61′ Oziewicz), Trzaskalski, Terlecki, Kowalczyk

Cracovia: Pączek - Wacek, Karwan, Radwański - Kłus, Wojciechowski, Heidemann (58′ Baliga), Baster, Kostrubała (87′ Uszalewski) - Kurowski (34′ Dudzic), Bania

Attendance: ca.6500

17.03.2007

CRACOVIA – ZAGŁĘBIE LUBIN 2 : 4 (2 : 1)

1:0 - Pawlusiński 14’
2:0 - Wiśniewski 17’
2:1 - Piszczek 31’
2:2 - Iwański 61’
2:3 - Iwański 73’-karny
2:4 - Kolendowicz 77’

Cracovia: Cabaj - Wacek, Baran, Radwański – Pawlusiński (62’ Jeleń), Kłus, Giza, Wiśniewski (46’ Kostrubała), Baster – Bojarski (83’ Dudzic), Moskała

Zagłębie: Vaclavik - Bartczak, Alunderis, Stasiak, Grzybowski, Łobodziński (82’ Melo), Szczypkowski, Piszczek (58’ Kolendowicz), Bartczak, Iwański (85’ Jackiewicz), Chałbiński

Attendance: ca. 3000

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13.03.2007

CRACOVIA – ENERGA STOCZNIOWIEC 3 : 0 (0:0, 1:0, 2:0)

1:0 - Piekarski 39’ 2:0 - D.Laszkiewicz (Podlipni) 41’ 3:0 - L.Laszkiewicz 49’-penalty shot

Comarch Cracovia: Radziszewski (Kachniarz) - Piekarski, Csorich, L.Laszkiewicz, Słaboń, D.Laszkiewicz - Cerny, Gil, Podlipni, Hartmann, Prokop - Wajda, Dulęba, Piotrowski, Pasiut, Pinc- Kozendra, Galant, Urban, Cieślak, Witowski

Energa Stoczniowiec: Soliński (Odrobny) - Hult, Leśniak, Skutchan, Huraj, Jurasek - Skrzypkowski, Rmpkowski, Rzeszutko, Zachariasz, Jankowski - Benasiewicz, Kostecki, Poziomkowski, Słodczyk, Drzewiecki

Attendance: ca.500

16.03.2007

ENERGA STOCZNIOWIEC - CRACOVIA 1 : 3 (0:2, 0:0, 1:1)

0:1 - Černy (Podlipni) 13’ 0:2 - Piotrowski (Pinc) 14’ 0:3 - Piotrowski (Pasiut) 51’ 1:3 - Zachariasz (Rompkowski) 55’

Energa Stoczniowiec: Odrobny (Soliński) - Wróbel, Leśniak, Skutchan, Hurtaj, Jurasek - Skrzypkowski, Rompkowski, Rzeszutko, Zachariasz, Hult - Benasiewicz, Kostecki, Urbanowicz, Słodczyk, Drzewiecki - Poziomkowski, Młynarczyk

Comarch Cracovia: Radziszewski (Kachniarz) - Piekarski, Csorich, L.Laszkiewicz, Słaboń, D.Laszkiewicz - Cerny, Gil, Podlipni, Hartmann, Prokop - Wajda, Dulęba, Piotrowski, Pasiut, Pinc- Kozendra, Galant, Urban, Cieślak, Witowski

Attendance: ca. 1500

18.03.2007

CRACOVIA – ENERGA STOCZNIOWIEC 3 : 5 (0:1, 2:2, 1:2)

0:1 - Rzeszutko (Rompkowski, Jurasek) 12’ 1:1 - Csorich (L.Laszkiewicz) 23’ 1:2 - Zachariasz (Jurasek) 29’ 1:3 - Wróbel (Rompkowski) 31’ 2:3 - Pasiut (Černy) 35’ 3:3 - Piekarski 44’ 3:4 - Hult 46’ 3:5 - Jurasek (Zachariasz, Rzeszutko) 51’

Comarch Cracovia: Radziszewski (Kachniarz) - Piekarski, Csorich, L.Laszkiewicz, Słaboń, D.Laszkiewicz - Cerny, Gil, Podlipni, Pasiut, Hartmann - Wajda, Dulęba, Piotrowski, Cieślak, Witowski- Kozendra, Galant, Urban, Jastrzębski, Landowski

Energa Stoczniowiec:Soliński (Odrobny) - Wróbel, Leśniak, Skutchan, Hurtaj, Hult - Skrzypkowski, Rompkowski, Rzeszutko, Zachariasz, Jurasek - Benasiewicz, Kostecki, Urbanowicz, Słodczyk, Drzewiecki - Poziomkowski, Młynarczyk

Attendance: ca. 600