GDANSK (Interstat)—Lechia Gdansk defeated visiting Arka Gdynia 2-1 on Sunday, getting a goal and an assist from Artur Shakh and the decisive second-half strike from Kevin Dodaj in a competition match. Lechia improved to 2-0 in this competition and 3-0 across all competitions. Arka fell to 0-2 in the competition and 1-2 across all competitions. The result kept Lechia unbeaten in its season while Arka remained without a competition win. Lechia’s home victory came after it built a first-half lead, absorbed an early second-half equalizer and responded quickly to reclaim control. The victory gave Lechia another positive result in a season that has started with three wins across all competitions, while Arka’s competition record remained at two losses.

Shakh opened the scoring in the 36th minute, giving Lechia a lead that held through the rest of the first half. Arka responded early in the second half when Vladislavs Gutkovskis scored in the 47th minute. The equalizer lasted only four minutes. Dodaj restored Lechia’s advantage in the 51st minute, finishing a sequence that also gave Shakh an assist. Shakh finished with one goal and one assist in 85 minutes before being substituted. Dodaj played the full 90 minutes and scored once. Gutkovskis also played 90 minutes and scored once for Arka. Lechia carried its narrow lead into the closing stretch and forced Arka to chase the game. Gutkovskis’ equalizer briefly changed the mood, but Lechia’s response through Dodaj came before Arka could build momentum.

The first half included a yellow card for Arka’s Solecki in stoppage time at 45+3. Arka made a halftime substitution, bringing on Dziegielewski. The visitors changed twice more in the 59th minute with Pawlowski and Gruszkowski. Lechia made its first substitution in the 68th minute when Wojtowicz entered. In the 85th minute, Lechia brought on Neugebauer, Mena and Shakh. Arka’s Ambrosiewicz entered in the 90+3rd minute. The cards continued after halftime when Sidibe was booked in the 62nd minute. Lechia’s Kopasek received a yellow card in the 90th minute. The late changes and bookings added tension as the match moved into its final minutes. The substitutions gave both sides fresh legs for the closing stretch, with Lechia using its changes to protect the lead and Arka using its changes to seek another goal.

Arka entered the match after a loss to Polonia Warszawa and a win over Goteborg. Lechia had beaten S. Rzeszow and Ruch Chorzow in its previous matches. The visiting side tried to answer after Dodaj’s goal, but Lechia held its shape and protected the one-goal margin through the final stages. The late substitutions allowed Lechia to close out the match, and the home side secured the competition result despite the late yellow card to Kopasek. Arka’s search for a second equalizer fell short as Lechia managed the final minutes. The previous results added context to the match, with Lechia carrying momentum from its recent wins and Arka trying to recover from its most recent loss.

Shakh’s 85-minute outing included one goal and one assist, and his involvement on both Lechia goals proved central to the result. Dodaj went the full 90 minutes and supplied the winning goal. Gutkovskis went the full 90 minutes and scored Arka’s only goal. Lechia’s defense and game management protected the advantage after the second-half flurry of goals. The key performances matched the scoreline, with Shakh involved in both Lechia goals and Gutkovskis accounting for Arka’s response.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Lechia Gdansk 3, Arka Gdynia 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Lechia Gdansk with a 71.2 percent probability to win. Lechia Gdansk had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.75.