"It’s a reward for the whole team"

In the first four league rounds, every team that Lech faced managed to beat the defensive line from Poznań John van den Brom’s squad conceded a total of 7 goals in those 4 games. Since the loss against Śląsk Wrocław (0:1), Lech failed to triumph only once – against F91 Dudelange (1:1). The series of over three successful performances and clean sheets have undoubtedly impacted positively Lech’s performance against Piast Gliwice (1:0) and Widzew Łódź (2:0). And, what’s important, the two wins weren’t a coincidence as Lech’s opponents didn’t get a single shot on target throughout the two games.

One of the key factors of the Sunday match was the center-back duo – Antonio Milić and Filipa Dagerstål who have been a part of the starting line-up in the three past games. Both the Croatian and the Swede had at least one key intervention during the Sunday game. Lech’s keeper appreciates the amazing form of his teammates from the defensive line, but he also praises other members of the squad.

“A clean sheet always gives you satisfaction because it’s a reward for the whole team. In the key moments, we managed to intervene accordingly, just the way Filip Dagerstål did in the second half. We have been improving in the defense with every match and it’s not only thanks to the center-backs. As a team, we have started feeling fresher. I try to maintain my form and remain ready,” explained the goalkeeper who has been a part of the starting eleven in the past 10 games.

According to Dagerstål who joined Lech this summer, the key is the coherence in training sessions and match performances. The player himself has plenty of reasons to be happy with himself, especially his intervention from the 71^st minute against Widzew Łódź when he took the ball away from Łukasz Zjawiński in a crucial moment. “I didn’t know whether I would make it to the ball first. When I noticed that the opponent is about to shoot, I decided to take the risk and it paid off,” explained Dagerstål his perspective. He has been gradually adjusting to playing alongside his new teammate, Antonio Milić. “I enjoy our cooperation, he is a top player that makes it easy for those around him. We communicate a lot which also helps,” added the 25-year-old Swede.

“I believe the team has been working slightly differently in those past few matches – you can feel it on the pitch, we are all in it together. Shortly after I have joined Lech, I noticed that there are a lot of strong individuals, in the offense and the defense, but there was always something missing. Regardless of the match, our opponent is always going to create some goal-scoring opportunities, our job is to try and make life hard for them. However, to keep the rivals’ scoring chances to a minimum, we need to work together which is where Filip [Bednarek] is very helpful – he always gives us tips,” highlighted the Swedish defender whose performance has also been recognized by Canal+ Sport – he was named a part of the best “eleven” of the 8^th round of PKO BP Ekstraklasa.