David vs. Goliath Clash? ARGED MALESA Ostrów returns to Łódź. A tough task ahead for H.SKRZYDLEWSKA ORŁEM.

One of the three quarter-final pairs in the final phase of the METALKAS 2nd Extraliga is the match between H.SKRZYDLEWSKA ORZEŁ Łódź and ARGED MALESA Ostrow Wielkopolski. How are both teams preparing for this match?

ARGED MALESA Ostrów is the table leader of the METALKAS 2nd Extraliga after the recently concluded main phase. The team of Mariusz Staszewski has a record of eleven wins and three losses. Additionally, the club managed to win six out of seven double-headers, which places them second in this statistic behind ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz, with whom they lost the bonus by just one point.

As for their direct playoff rivals, H.SKRZYDLEWSKA ORZEŁ Łódź, they did not have an easy time against them. In the first encounter, the Ostrów team prevailed, winning 47:43. Besides their loss to #ORZECHOWAOSADA PSŻ Poznań, this was their worst match at their home venue, just as in the clash with TEXOM STAL Rzeszów. It is worth noting that for most of the match, the guests had a slight lead, but just before the nomination heats, the result was in favor of the hosts. Additionally, this was the second attempt for this match. In the first meeting, when the whole event was canceled after the sixth race, H.SKRZYDLEWSKA ORZEŁ was leading again, this time 20:16. Why did this happen? – We have riders in the team who used to race there. Oliver Berntzon, Tomek Gapiński, and Daniel Kaczmarek know this track well, so I think that’s the main reason we are doing well there – said Łódź coach Maciej Jąder.

At the venue in Łódź, where the first quarter-final match between these two teams will be held, the definite winner of the last encounter was ARGED MALESA Ostrów, winning 51:39 at Moto Arena. – I think Łódź will not prepare the same track as in the match with us, because it was a track where the local riders struggled, so it will be a completely different match. We are preparing for a very tough match and that is how we will approach it – announced Mariusz Staszewski.

H.SKRZYDLEWSKA ORZEŁ is a team that advanced to the playoff phase from the last – sixth place, which can be considered a success given how the season started for the Łódź team. Now, however, the table standings no longer matter, and the performance on the match day will determine who advances to the METALKAS 2nd Extraliga semi-finals. – Of course, Ostrów took first place after the main round, and it will definitely be tough to win against them, but let’s see what the future holds. We still believe that we can do it, we will be training this week and hope for the best – summed up Maciej Jąder.

Marcin Rusewicz