Lech draw at Thun to seal Europa League league phase

Lech Poznań booked their place in the Europa League league phase after a 2-2 draw away to FC Thun, finishing the tie with room to spare thanks to the commanding advantage established in the first leg.

First-leg cushion proved decisive

There was never likely to be a repeat of the extraordinary first meeting, when Lech overwhelmed the Swiss champions 7-0 and set a club record for their biggest win in European competition. That night, Niels Frederiksen’s side were ruthless from the outset and found attacking fluency across the pitch, with Patrik Walemark, Allahyar Sayyadmanesh and Pablo Rodriguez among the standout performers.

The return, though, unfolded in a very different way. FC Thun made sweeping changes, with Gian Luca Privitelli altering nine of the 11 players who started the first game. Two of those changes were linked to outgoing transfers involving Michael Heule and Valmir Matoshi, leaving Lech to face a significantly reshaped opponent.

Rotated Lech started brightly, then lost control

Frederiksen also refreshed his team. Robert Gumny, Gustav Berggren, Daniel Hakans and Yannick Agnero came into the starting line-up, while Joel Pereira, Radosław Murawski, Walemark and Rodriguez began on the bench. Lech were still without the injured Mikael Ishak and Leo Bengtsson, Alex Douglas was again absent, but Filip Jagiełło returned to the matchday squad.

Thun threatened first through Louis Passavant, but Mateusz Lis dealt with the effort calmly. Lech responded quickly and took the lead when Luis Palma delivered into the area and Gumny finished from the right side with a volley. It was an assured start, and the visitors soon looked capable of extending their advantage on the night.

Instead, the game shifted. Simon Lengen levelled for the hosts after a move down the left, with a VAR check confirming the goal. That strike ended Lech’s run of 405 minutes without conceding. The Polish side then suffered another setback when Hakans was forced off through injury, prompting Walemark’s early introduction.

Lech still created chances before the break, including a clear opening for Sayyadmanesh after good work from Agnero, but the forward failed to convert. Thun made them pay before half-time as Furkan Dursun turned in the box and finished confidently to put the home side ahead on the night.

Walemark settles the tie

The second half brought little immediate improvement from Lech, who remained untidy in possession and allowed Thun too much comfort in build-up. Palma passed up a chance on the counter after Walemark had led the break, but the winger later made the decisive contribution himself.

Set free on the right by a long pass from Lis, Walemark moved onto his left foot and produced a composed finish beyond Tim Spycher to make it 2-2. That goal removed any lingering doubt and underlined the depth Frederiksen had available from the bench.

Late on, the Lech coach adjusted again, withdrawing Agnero and sending on Jagiełło as he opted to finish without a recognised striker. By then, the broader task had already been completed.

Job done for Frederiksen’s side

Lech were not as sharp, as dominant or as polished as they had been a week earlier, but they did not need to be. The scale of the first-leg win had effectively decided the contest, and the draw in Switzerland was enough to confirm progress.

For Frederiksen and his players, the main conclusion was simple: after an emphatic display in Poznań and a more uneven evening in Thun, Lech are through to the Europa League league phase.