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Legia On Form but Ghanem Not Getting Enough Time

Date: 29-11-2005
Wrote: EP's reporter in Poland Piotr Gawin

In this exclusive update from Poland, EP bring you highlights of each of the last four league games for Ahmed Ghanem's Legia Warszawa, as well as their cup games. They have now been tipped to fight for the league title.


Legia are doing quite well, but Ghanem is finding it very difficult to make it into the starting team.

The club have won their last four league games with convincing score-lines, but Ghanem hasn't made it into the substitutes for a single one of the matches. He did however play in a cup encounter.

Loan Move Likely for Ghanem:

Ahmed Ghanem, unfortunately, wasn't even among the reserve players in any of the below mentioned games. Some Polish tabloids have already been speculating about personal changes which are likely to take place in Legia come the winter break, and it seems that Ghanem may be loaned out to another club.

Recent League Games:

VS. ZAGLEBIE LUBIN:

22.10.2005 (Idea Ekstraklasa - Matchday 11)
Zaglebie Lubin - Legia Warszawa 0:1 (0:1)
0:1 - Szalachowski (25)

EP Ratings & Highlights:

Legia: Fabianski 7 - Rzezniczak 6, Roslon 6, Szala 5, Djokovic 6, Kielbowicz 8, Surma 7, Klatt (11 Chmiest 5, 79 Janczyk), Karwan 6, Wlodarczyk 8, Szalachowski 7(80, Sokolowski)

What started very misfortunately for Legia, ended up with a much appreciated three points. In the 10th minute, Legia's striker Klatt headed the ball towards Zaglebie's goal. His shot missed the goal by inches, and he, having been gently pushed by one of Zaglebie defenders, fell so badly that he had to leave the pitch. He's out till spring!

Legia were the more dangerous side in the 1st half. In the 25th minute, Wlodarczyk moved on the left wing and passed the ball accurately to Marcin Chmiest. The substitute couldn't control the ball properly, but it reached Sebastian Szalachowski, who couldn't find it easier to score.
The second half was more open. Zaglebie moved more players towards the Legia goal, but even their best scorer Chalbinski couldn't beat young Legia goalkeeper Fabianski on that night. Legia had their best chance when Karwan was unjustly called offside having an empty goal in front of him.

VS. KORONA KIELCE:

29.10.2005 (Idea Ektraklasa - Matchday 12)
Legia Warszawa - Korona Kielce 1:0 (0:0)
1:0 - Wlodarczyk (77)

EP Ratings & Highlights:

Legia: Fabianski 6, Szala 6, Djokovic 5 (75 min - Burkhardt 7), Roslon 6, Ouattara 7, Karwan 6, Surma 8, Szalachowski 6 (85 min - Sokolowski), Kielbowicz 6, Janczyk 6 (90 min - Chmiest), Wlodarczyk 7

Korona Kielce are the surprising team of the Polish Ekstraklasa this season. Last season only a second division team, this year they are doing excellently in the top division; a UEFA Cup place is within their reach. Their striker Grzegorz Piechna leads the scorers table and he made his debut for the Polish national team, scoring against Estonia!

No wonder everybody expected a very difficult match for Legia. If it was hard, however, it was mostly due to Legia's lack of accuracy in front of Korona's goal. Legia took control very early in the game and weren't really troubled by Korona. Piechna was very carefully marked by Moussa Ouattara and he didn't have a scoring chance.

But the match cost Legia fans a lot of nerves for their players wasted one chance after another. Piotr Wlodarczyk missed three golden opportunities, and each time he acted very selfishly, not passing the ball to unmarked youngster Dawid Janczyk.

The key moment of the game was 75th minute. Legia's defensive midfielder Veselin Djokovic was substituted for playmaker Marcin Burkhardt. It took Burkhardt only two minutes to make a fantastic dribble near the central line and pass the ball to Wlodarczyk, who eventually scored. Legia coach Wdowczyk claimed after the match that it was best performance given by Legia since he took over. An awesome game indeed.

VS. AMICA WRONKI:

5.11.2005 (Idea Ekstraklasa - Matchday 13)
Amica Wronki - Legia Warszwa 0:2 (0:1)
0:1 - Burkhardt (19) 0:2 - Szalachowski (54)

EP Ratings & Highlights:

Legia: Fabianski 6, Surma 8, Ouattara 7, Kielbowicz 7, Karwan 7, Janczyk 5 (70 - Chmiest 5), Djokovic 6, Roslon 7, Szalachowski 7(85 - Rzezniczak), Burkhardt 7(58 - Sokolowski 6), Wlodarczyk 7

Wrocki are a hard team to beat, especially on their ground - but Legia did it with surprising ease. Pressing applied very early in the game, aggressive marking and quick counter attacks left Amica helpless.

It was former Amica player Burkhardt, who neatly finished one of Legia quick moves in the 1st half. Only a few minutes later he was close to extending Legia's lead, but his free kick was slightly inaccurate.

The second goal was typical for that game. Legia defender Roslon intercepted the ball in the central zone, immediately passed it to Wlodarczyk, who gave the ball to unmarked Szalachowski and his volley found the net.

After this game journalists in Poland began to speak more openly that Legia might be a serious competition to fight for the title with Wisla Krakow - something that nobody would have said after a miserable start to the season.


VS. GORNIK ZABRZE:

18.11.2005 (Idea Ekstraklasa - Matchday 14)
Legia Warszawa - Gornik Zabrze 3:2 (3:0)
1:0 - Janczyk (40) 2:0 - Wlodarczyk (pen, 43) 3:0 - Wlodarczyk (45) 3:1 -
Wisniewski (76) 3:2 - Krol (90)

EP Ratings & Highlights:

Legia: Fabianski 6, Szala 5, Magiera 3, Roslon 5, Kielbowicz 6, Karwan 5, Djokovic 6, Burkhardt 6 (66 min - Rzezniczak 5), Szalachowski 6 (66 min - Sokolowski 6), Wlodarczyk 8, Janczyk 9 (73 min - Zjawinski 4)

On form Legia faced off form Gornik on the home ground, so there could only be one team to win the game.

Legia, however, began very slowly and couldn't create any chances for most of the first half. It was the last five minutes which were decisive. First Szalachowski took the ball in Gornik's defensive zone and passed it to Wlodarczyk. He quickly gave the ball to Janczyk, who gave no chance to the Gornik goalkeeper. Dawid Janczyk was the key figure in Legia on that night. A very talented 18-year-old, who is already being scouted by Ahmed Hassan's Besiktas Istanbul and Mido's ex-club Olympique Marseiile, was unstoppable for clumsy Gornik defenders. He deserves credit for the third goal too. His successful dribbling on the wing and precise pass opened Wlodarczyk a way to the Gornik goal. In the meantime Wlodarczyk was fouled in the box and scored in a convincing manner.

The second half was expected to be a stroll in the park for Legia, but it wasn't. The players thought they would already have three points in hand and didn't work that hard any more. There was too much chaos in the game and Gornik made good use of Legia's lack of concentration. First Jacek Wisniewski's header gave them a consolation goal and then Krol's elegant finish gave them hope to shock Legia with a late equaliser, but luckily there wasn't enough time left.

The bad thing in the game was that one of the most important Legia players - right midfielder Karwan received a foolish yellow card, which means he's out for the Wisla Krakow game. Good thing is that it's the last game with supporters protesting against the club. Negotiations between both sides were successfully closed and the next Legia game should be watched by an impressive number of fans.

Ghanem Plays in Cup:

Ahmed was given some playing time in a cup game against Hetman Zamosc. They're a weak third division team, so coach Wdowczyk decided to test some players who don't usually turn up in starting eleven.

Legia won both legs, 4:0 and 6:0.

Ghanem entered the pitch in the 63rd minute of the return leg. He was very active as usual. His dribbling skills and will to fight were easily noticed, something that Legia coaches and fans often admit, although his defensive skills definitely leave a lot to be desired.

More updates soon on EP, including Legia's crucial game against the leaders of the league...