The Polish Ekstraklasa kicked off again this weekend after a 12-week absence and Portuguese striker Flávio Paixão was the star of the show with a hat-trick as Lechia Gdansk beat neighbours Arka Gdynia 4-3 on Sunday.
All seven goals came in the final 40 minutes, after a stalemate in the first half. Paixão put his team 1-0 up from the penalty spot (50’) before later equalising the game at 2-2 on 76 minutes. Further goals for each side had the game level at 3-3 deep into injury time, when the veteran from Portugal again held his nerve to convert a winning 96th-minute penalty.
“Honestly, I don't remember a second half like that,” said the 35-year-old. “The most amazing thing is that it happened in a derby. It was crazy. I don't remember another half with so many goals or emotions. What I enjoy the most, however, is our faith in ourselves. We knew that we had worked hard for the last two weeks and I am happy that it gave us victory. I always had faith that Lechia will win in the derby match. It all starts in your mind because that's where you have to believe it.”
Paixão already had a strong record in ‘Tricity derby’ matches with local rivals Arka and with Sunday’s treble he has become the most prolific scorer in the history of the fixture with 10 goals in just 9 appearances. “What’s the recipe? My formula is always the same,” he says. “Hard work in every training session, my way of thinking, self-confidence and daily discipline. In addition, on the pitch I always try to find the right place and I believe that the ball will find me.”
Paixão has been in Polish football for seven years: first with Slask Wroclaw; then for the last four-and-a-half years with Lechia, since when he has become the foreign player with the most goals in the history of the Polish league. Interestingly, the man placed third on the league's greatest goalscorers is Flávio's twin brother: Marco Paixão.
By Sean Gillen
