The photo shows from left to right, Martin Vaculik (ZIE), Emil Sayfutdinov (LES) and Maciej Janowski (WRO) who all took part in today’s second and deciding semifinal matches in Poland’s Ekstraliga.
#LESCZE
Leszno 52 (104) v Czestochowa 38 (76)
forBET WLOKNIARZ Czestochowa had an uphill challenge when they travelled to top team FOGO UNIA Leszno on Sunday afternoon after going behind by 14 points in semi final 1 at home last week.
And despite the visiting team having two of yesterday’s Danish SGP finalists, Fredrik Lindgren (11) and Matej Zagar (6), not to mention 2018 SEC winner, Leon Madsen (14+1) they simply could not claw back the deficit.
Leszno at home are simply too strong. So whilst SGP riders Emil Satfutdinov (13) and Janusz Kolodziej (11) lead the team on points, it was another commanding performance from their second string riders, Piotr Pawlicki (9) and Jaroslaw Hampel (8+2) that means Leszno are in the final again.
#WROZIE
Wroclaw 56 (98) v Zielona 34 (82)
STELMET FALUBAZ Zielona Gora travelled to BETARD SPARTA Wroclaw with a slender lead of six points from their home fixture last week given both sides everything to play for in this deciding match.
In the very first heat Tai Woffinden (WRO) beat Martin Vaculik (ZIE) and both riders would excel for their teams scoring 14 on the night. The Brit also collecting a bonus point to finish the match with a paid maximum.
It was the Russian youngster, Gleb Chugenov, who finished ahead of Woffinden in Heat 9 when the home team picked up a 5:1 win.
This was Wroclaw third heat win in a row giving them a 12 points advantage and, more importantly, a six point lead on aggregate. In fact, this was the first time Wroclaw had been ahead in the tie since Heat 8 of the first match.
It was the key turning point of the 30 heat semi finals- the home team, boosted by the crowd, suddenly believed they could win. At the same time, the away team suddenly seemed crushed and that the match was beyond them.
In the remaining six heats the score would be 23:13 to Wroclaw.
Zielona’s Michael Jepsen Jensen only scored six in the whole match finishing with four last places in a row. Likewise teammate Patryk Dudek scored just six with two fourth places in a row.
Meanwhile, behind Woffinden for Wroclaw, last weekend’s German SGP winner, Maciej Janowski scored 10+1 and young Pole, Maksym Drabik scored 11+2.
There are just two Rounds left to go as Leszno and Wroclaw meet in the first final on 13 September, whilst Czestochowa will take on Zielona in the 3rd/4th playoff on 15 September. A week later the season’s final matches will be played in Ekstraliga 2019.
