Wisła beat Cracovia 2:1 as the Kraków derby returns after four years

The wait is over, and it was worth it for one half of Kraków. Wisła beat city rivals Cracovia 2:1 in the Ekstraklasa (Poland's top football league), winning the 204th edition of the Great Kraków Derby in front of 31,849 fans.

What happened?

Wisła struck first. In the 9th minute Marc Carbo shot from 16 metres, the ball took a deflection off Gustav Henriksson and slipped in by the post.

Cracovia levelled quickly. In the 19th minute Carbo fouled Otar Kakabadze in the box. The referee first booked the Georgian for diving, but after checking the monitor he changed his mind and awarded a penalty. Ajdin Hasić saw his spot-kick saved by Marcel Łubik, yet he buried the rebound to make it 1:1.

Then the game stopped, twice. Fans of both teams set off flares, the stadium filled with smoke and the referee halted play for several minutes each time.

Just before the break, Wisła hit on the counter. The ball reached Marko Bozić, who curled in a left-footed finish to make it 2:1 in first-half stoppage time.

How did the second half go?

Much quieter. Wisła dropped deep, sometimes very deep, and gave Cracovia almost nothing. The visitors' only real chance was another Hasić effort, which Łubik saved.

In the final quarter of an hour Wisła woke up again, held the ball longer and nearly added a third. Angel Rodado's shot flew just past the post.

In stoppage time, Cracovia's Mateusz Klich lost his cool and kicked Jeremy Guillemenot. Referee Szymon Marciniak showed him a red card, and Cracovia finished with ten men.

Why does it matter?

This was the first Kraków derby in more than four years. Wisła came back to the top flight after winning promotion earlier this year, on 1 June, and the derby is one of the big rewards.

The result also extends a run. It was Wisła's seventh home win in a row this season, while Cracovia are still waiting for their first away victory.

What's next?

Both clubs now go back to the league grind. For Wisła, the fortress at home is still standing. For Cracovia, the trip to the stadium ended with a loss and a red card.