Recap
A Five-Star Start
The Dragoons began their season with a bang, cruising to a 5-1 victory against newly-promoted Jastrzębiec on Sunday. The match, played in a baking 30+ degree heat had plenty of goals and two first-half red cards!
After missing most of the second part of last season, Gabriel Muñoz came into the team to start in goal. A 67th appearance for the Chilean stopper in his sixth season with the club.
The defence took on a familiar look to the previous season. Roman Bilovol started at right-back, Francesco Leuci at left-back, and Kuba Drobny partnered with Simon Calabrese in the centre defence.
Enrico Forabosco captained the side and lined up alongside Corneille Malonga and Rob Smits in central midfield.
Meanwhile, Flavio Nkola started on the left wing, Szymon Urzędowski on the right, and Barry Chowaniec led the attack.
Kick Off
The Dragoons started the match brightly, pushing forward with intent from the first whistle. However, the game’s first chance fell to Jastrzębiec in the 4th minute. A corner kick found the head of Piotr Zapiór who somehow managed to put the ball wide of the goal. The Dragoons had a let-off but quickly took control of the game.
The Dragoons Lead
With just 11 minutes on the clock, the Dragoons took the lead to score their first goal of the season. A sublime through ball from Roman Bilovol found the run of Barry Chowaniec, who rounded the goalkeeper with composure before slamming the ball into the empty net.
🇵🇱⚽️FLYING START⚽️🇵🇱
📽️Neat build up play saw Barry Chowaniec 🇵🇱 race onto a brilliant pass from Roman Bilovol 🇦🇷, coolly round the keeper and slot the ball into the net to give the Dragoons an 11th minute lead! 💥🔥 pic.twitter.com/MNncVfRn1s
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 28, 2024
As the half progressed, the Dragoons continued to pile on the pressure. Flavio Nkola had a good opportunity to double the lead in the 14th minute after a great touch from Chowaniec set him up in space, but his shot dragged wide of the goal. The Expats were creating chances at will, and it seemed only a matter of time before they found the net again.
The Visitors See Red
In the 26th minute, the game took a turn for the worse for the visitors. Damian Zyguła was shown a straight red card for a deliberate trip on Chowaniec, who was clear through on goal. Down to ten men, Jastrzębiec faced an uphill battle with the Dragoons in full control of the early stages.
The Dragoons immediately capitalised on their numerical advantage. After a brief water break to cope with the warm conditions, the Expats resumed their assault.
Double Delight for the Dragoons
In the 32nd minute, Bilovol again played a pivotal role, forcing Bartosz Garnek into a low save. However, the keeper could not hold onto the ball and Simon Calabrese reacted quickest to score his 6th Dragoons goal. The Italian got to the loose ball first and rifled the ball into the top of the net from six yards to double the Expats’ advantage.
⚽️SIMON’S BALL⚽️
💪 Our MOTM 🎖️ winning central defender, Simon Calabrese 🇮🇹 was quickest to react, pouncing on the rebound to smash in the Dragoons’ 🐉 second goal on Sunday!
A rock 🪨 at the back and a threat up front! 🥅⚽#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/9vJlKvBlUq
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 28, 2024
A Quick-Fire Third
Just three minutes later, Nkola was fouled on the edge of the box, earning the Dragoons a free-kick in a dangerous position. The midfield magician, Enrico Forabosco stepped up and curled a beautiful effort off the post and into the net, making it 3-0. The Dragoons were in complete control of the game at this point!
⚽️FORZA FORABOSCO⚽️
Enrico Forabosco 🇮🇹 top scored for the Dragoons with 13 goals last season.
It did not take long for the Midfield Magician 🧙♂️ to open his account this term, using his trademark wand 🪄of a left foot to score direct from a free-kick.#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/KzJ0XF0LCy
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 28, 2024
However, on 36 minutes, two yellow cards in quick succession saw Francesco Leuci sent for an early bath to leave both sides down to ten men.
Shortly after, the halftime whistle blew with the Dragoons in a comfortable position at the break. The Expats looked fitter than their opponents and had dominated the ball. Jastrzębiec had struggled in the heat with ten men and found it hard to get into attacking positions.
Second Half
The Dragoons made a tactical change to their shape at the break following Leuci’s dismissal and started the half well.
Chowaniec had a golden opportunity to score his second goal in the 51st minute after running onto a pass down the line from Bilovol. The Polish forward sprinted into the box at an angle but he could only find the side netting with his shot.
Not long after, a lung-busting run saw Kuba Drobny run the length of the pitch as Nkola countered. The Angolan found the Polish centre-back inside the box, however, Drobny saw his goal attempt blocked.
Big Chances Missed
The Dragoons continued to create chances, but profligacy in front of goal kept the score at 3-0. Rob Smits was particularly influential, repeatedly finding space to find substitute Yuri Samyonov and twice putting the Israeli through on goal. However, the Expats forward could not find a way past Garnek in the Jastrzębiec goal with Expats unable to extend their lead.
Jastrzębiec had their moments as the half wore on, particularly in the last 15 minutes as the Dragoons tired and became sloppy. Substitute keeper Marcin Obyrtacz entered the game with fifteen minutes to play and was immediately called into action. The visitors found a way past the Expats’ defence to go through on goal. However, Obyrtacz stood strong to stop the incoming shot and the Dragoons eventually cleared the ball away.
With ten minutes left to play, Drobny stuck out a leg to intercept a pass across the goal. Fortunate smiled on the defender as the deflection hit the outside of the post and went behind for a corner.
Finally a Fourth
In the 83rd minute, the Dragoons put the game beyond any doubt with Smits at the heart of the action again. The Dutchmeester dinked a delightful pass over the heads of the Jastrzębiec defence, finding the run of substitute Vałdzis Fuhaš. The forward calmly rounded the stranded Garnek and slotted the ball into the net to make it 4-0.
A Five-Star Start
Two minutes later, Hajnrych swarmed like a plague of locusts down the flank and delivered a pinpoint cross into the area. An exodus at the back saw the Jastrzębiec defence part like the Red Sea, allowing Samyonov to escape and have the freedom of the box to apply an easy finish from close range. A third goal in three league and cup matches for the Israeli.
⚽️FOUR & FIVE⚽️
Vałdzis Fuhaš 🌍 netted his 10th Dragoons 🐉 goal after a delightful dinked through pass from Rob Smits 🇳🇱🎯🔥
Meanwhile, Yuri Samyonov 🇮🇱 capped off the scoring with a simple tap-in after a brilliant run and cross from Piotr Hajnrych 🇵🇱 ⚽💪 pic.twitter.com/le4Ffh7pzm
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 28, 2024
Consolation Goal
Jastrzębiec managed to grab a late consolation goal with the last kick of the game. Slack marking from a corner saw Mateusz Kopeć send a free header goalwards. The ball bounced up from off the turf, beating the reach of Marcin Obyrtacz and slipped into the net for 5-1.
Immediately after, the referee ended the match after the goal with the Dragoons putting on a five-star start to win their opening game.
Next Up
The Dragoons take to the travels for the first time next Sunday as they face a journey to JKS Zelków. It will be the first time the two clubs have met, with Zelków playing in Klasa A Krakow Grupa II last season, where they finished in 7th place.
Zelków started the season with an away fixture against Iskra Radwanowice this past weekend. Like the Dragoons, they started the campaign with a victory with an injury-time goal securing a 2-1 win.
