Last week, to everyone's surprise, Piast Gliwice went on the road and drew BATE 1-1. They even were the better team, outplaying the Belarusian champions, a team that has had a lot of experience in Europe the past 10 or so seasons. Piast returned home for leg two and even took a early 1-0 lead, just 21 minutes into the game after a excellent header from Jakub Czerwinski.
And that's where this story took a turn.
Piast manager Waldemar Fornalik went conservative, with a play-safe style and ultra defensive, trying to suffocate the BATE attack, and making sure everyone returns to defend, even his striker. The plan was working well. BATE struggled to get any shots on target. The problem is, Piast was comfortable holding back and waiting until the time ran out, but it was giving BATE's manager Alyaksey Baha time to think and adjust and figure out how to break the Piast defense down. Baha has managed BATE in some big games in the past, including a win over Arsenal 1-0 in the round of 32 just a season ago.
The first move he did was bring in striker Nemanja Milic. Urgency was picked up. BATE knew time was running out. Then Baha subbed on Hervaine Moukam, adding a dynamic player with good speed that could really open things up. Polish broadcaster Mateusz Borek on Polsat Sport thought out-loud on the telecast "(Frantisek) Plach nie ma co robic" meaning Plach (Piast's goalkeeper) has nothing to do, making a joke that whatever BATE tried to do, they werent able to get past the Piast defense and get to Plach.
Little did he know, only in moments, Plach's nightmare evening was just starting. BATE's attack was also just starting. Eight minutes from the end, a terrible mistake, one that will haunt Plach for a long time, cost his team a penalty kick, as Plach fouled a BATE player chasing a runaway ball that he had no chance of catching up to, right on the edge of the box. Letting the ball go, would have resulted in a goal-kick for Piast. Instead it was 1-1.
Problem with Piast's style of "parking a bus" and waiting for the game to end is that if something goes off script, such as a terrible mental breakdown by a goalkeeper, it's hard to just turn up a switch and get back to attacking. The other problem is, a style like that gives the opponent time while it stresses the defensive team and the constant defending and ball chasing causes players to make mistakes they normally wouldnt make. It overloads the pressure.
Just five minutes later, BATE scored again. Piast didn't have possession in their attacking half once between the two BATE goals. When BATE scored the first goal, their mindset quickly moved from tying the game to going for the knockout. And that's exactly what they did. Five minutes separated the goals, but the pressure BATE brought only increased.
A disappointing loss for Piast, and they only have themselves to blame. Most pundits will put the blame on Plach, but the majority of blame should be on coach Fornalik. Piast had roughly 60 minutes in-between Czerwinski's goal and the BATE equalizer. Fornalik should've trusted his offensive players as much as he trusted his defensive players. After outplaying BATE for the most part in the first leg and in the early part of the second leg, Fornalik should've given his stars Joel Valencia, Jorge Felix and Piotr Parzyszek the green light to go for the kill. Keep the pressure on their end. Maybe they would've had more luck in this game on home field then they did in the first leg?
Live and learn, except this might've been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Piast Gliwice that is now lost forever.
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