Recap
Defeated Again
The Dragoons slipped to a fourth straight defeat on Saturday, losing 1–2 at home to Skawinka Skawina despite an improved showing.
⚔️ LINE-UP ⚔️
These are the troops sent into battle by Head Coach Gonçalo Ferreira 🇵🇹 as the Dragoons take on Skawinka Skawina 💪
🧤 🇵🇱
🛡️ 🇦🇷 🇵🇱 🇮🇹 🇵🇱
⚙️ 🇨🇩 🇮🇹 🇮🇹/🇫🇮
⚔️ 🇨🇿 🌎🇵🇱Let’s get back to winning ways, boys! 🔵⚫#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/BJDzmQg76y
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) October 18, 2025
After the heavy loss to Dąbski Kraków, Head Coach Gonçalo Ferreira shuffled his pack. Marcin Obyrtacz returned in goal, replacing Gabi Muñoz. Roman Bilovol moved to right back, with Szymon Urzędowski on the left replacing Franceso Leuci. Simon Calabrese and Kuba Drobny continued at centre-back.
In midfield, captain Enrico Forabosco returned to the line-up alongside Omar Atzori and Corneille Malonga, with Rob Smits and Fernando Gámez picking up knocks.
Up front, Vałdzis Fuhaš led the attack, supported by Martin Voženílek and Barry Chowaniec on the wings.
Kick Off
The Dragoons began positively and created an early opening in the fifth minute. Enrico Forabosco clipped a clever pass over the defence to find Voženílek, who swivelled inside the box and fired over.
After 15 minutes, Skawinka called Obyrtacz into action for the first time. A low drive saw the Polish keeper make a fingertip save, and Calabrese cleared the rebound to safety. The visitors played the ball short from the following corner, but an incoming shot failed to trouble the target.
Off the Crossbar!
Five minutes later, relentless pressing from Fuhaš won the ball high to turnover possession. The Dragoons worked the ball to Forabosco, who unleashed a curling strike that thundered against the bar. It was a sign of intent, but luck wasn’t on their side!
Skawinka Strike First
After a period of sustained pressure the visitors took the lead in the 25th minute. A quick throw caught the Dragoons out, and a cross found Oskar Pustelnik unmarked on the edge of the box. Pustelnik caught the ball sweetly and hit a low shot that nestled into the bottom corner giving Obyrtacz no chance. A disappointing goal for the Dragoons to concede, who seem to get punished for every mistake.
Dragoons Hit Back
On the half hour mark, the Dragoons struck back to level the game. Malonga looked to find Chowaniec on the left wing, with a defender putting the ball into the attackers path. Chowaniec cut inside into the box, ran past a defender and pulled the trigger on a shot. The keeper got down well to stop the effort but the ball was parried straight into the path of Fuhaš, who made no mistake to tap home the equaliser and make it 1–1.
THE EXPATS LEVEL ⚽️
The Dragoons fell to defeat this past weekend but did level on 30 minutes.
Barry Chowaniec 🇵🇱 flew into the box and his shot was parried. However, Vałdzis Fuhaš 🌏 was quickest to react and buried the rebound in from close range! 💪#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/dVpEWesW4D
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) October 20, 2025
Visitors Back In Front
However, another lapse in concentration proved costly before the break as the visitors went into the lead in the 43rd minute. A low cross reached Kacper Hawryłko, who inadvertently turned the ball into net with his hand. Despite loud protests from the Dragoons defence, the flag stayed down with official advising the ball had already hit the net…
Skawinka led 2–1 at half-time with the Dragoons having it all to do.
Second Half
Coach Ferreira introduced Obed Sánchez for Fuhaš at the break to give the Expats a physical presence and keep hold of the ball in the final third.
Despite the change, the Expats struggled in possession and failed to make more than a couple of passes amongst themselves. With confidence low, they often bypassed the midfield and the ball came straight back at them.
Skawinka threatened on the counter, and missed a glorious opportunity in front of goal to further their lead. Thankfully, a cross into the box saw a shot fly over the bar from close range.
Debutant Enters
Debutant Manuel Rangel entered for Martin Voženílek in the 65th minute and looked to get straight into the action, rising highest from a corner to put a header wide.
The Dragoons kept trying to work an opening, but failed to seriously threaten the Skawinka goal. Szymon Urzędowski did well in the 74th minute, but could only strike straight at the keeper.
As the game entered it’s final moments, the Dragoons began to push forward. This left space for a counter with Skawinka coming close twice. A chipped shot dropped wide of the target and Obyrtacz had to show strong wrists to put the ball behind for a corner.
Dragoons Push for an Equaliser
In the closing moments, the Expats pushed hard for an equaliser and came close twice. Rangel’s free-kick curled just past the post, and Sánchez had the best chance. The Colombian linked well with Rangel to go through on goal, but he took an age to set himself allowing the keeper to close the angle and was denied by a sharp save.
The full-time whistle sounded shortly after, confirming another painful defeat and a fourth in a row for the Dragoons.
Full Time Thoughts
The performance was an improvement, but the underlying issues remain clear. Confidence is fragile, and the team still struggles to connect defence with midfield, then to attack, making it hard to build the controlled, possession-based play Head Coach Gonçalo Ferreira demands. Baffling, as it is not too dissimilar to his predecessor Hugo Cruz’s style, except for a couple of minor tweaks!
Too often, transitions are leaving the side stretched, both moving forward and tracking back. The structure looks uncertain, and while these problems are fixable, constant changes in availability make consistency and chemistry difficult to find.
Yet the biggest issue may not be tactical, it’s most definitely mental. The Dragoons lack belief at key moments and need stronger leadership on the pitch. When things get tough, the team needs players who will step up, take responsibility, and drive those around them forward, not waving arms about and pointing blame at individuals. Right now, the mentality feels weak, heads drop, fingers are pointed too quickly, and intensity fades when it matters most.
There’s talent throughout the squad, but talent alone isn’t enough. The Expats must rediscover their fight, that hunger to win every duel, to chase every loose ball, and to refuse to be beaten. Only when the Dragoons show real will and determination will the results start to follow. The boys are in this together and must start looking like a team, not a bunch of individuals.
🇮🇹🏅 MAN OF THE MATCH 🏅🇮🇹
It wasn’t the result the Dragoons wanted, but Omar Atzori’s 🇮🇹 attitude and work rate set the example for those around him.
Bravo Omar 👊🤝👏#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/efOgLxtOa7
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) October 20, 2025
Next Match
The Dragoons now travel to face Podgórze, where they’ll meet two familiar faces in Paulo Fernandes and club hero Gonçalo Rodrigues. It’s a chance to reset, show character, and prove that this team can put an end to this dreadful run!
Podgórze sit just one place below the Expats in ninth, with a near-identical record of three wins, one draw, and six defeats. The hosts have played one more match, with the Dragoons’ postponed clash against Tramwaj II still to come.
The sides have met on two occasions previously. The Expats triumphed 6–3 in their first-ever meeting at Prądniczanka, thanks to a Flavio Nkola hat-trick and goals from Alessio Sassini, Michael Syska-Lamb, and Andrea Latino. In the reverse fixture, Podgórze gained revenge with a 2–0 win, punishing the Dragoons on a baking hot afternoon.
As the two meet again, the message is simple: the Dragoons must show more heart, more leadership, and a real will to win. The losing run won’t end on talent alone, it will take grit, belief, and fight and it starts next Sunday!
