Recap
A Deserved Point
The Dragoons had to settle for a point as they battled back to come from behind against Iskra Krzęcin at Kampus UJ on Sunday evening.
🐉 LINE-UP 🐉
Here’s how the Expats line up against Iskra Krzęcin this evening!
🧤 GK: 🇵🇱
🛡️ DEF: 🇵🇱 | 🇦🇷 | 🇮🇹 | 🇵🇱
⚙️ MID: 🇫🇮/🇮🇹 | 🇪🇸 | 🇨🇴
⚡ ATT: 🇨🇿 | 🇨🇴 | 🇨🇴COME ON BOYS! 💪#COYD 💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/QzyJVu1ugz
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) November 2, 2025
After a fine 4–3 midweek win over Tramwaj II, Head Coach Gonçalo Ferreira made just one enforced change, with Stiven Campo stepping in for the unavailable Omar Atzori. The rest of the lineup remained unchanged, a rare luxury in a season full of rotation!
Kick-Off
The game started at a lively tempo, with both sides eager to get on the ball. In just the 4th minute, Martin Voženílek cleverly cut the ball back to Bernabé Ureba García, whose shot was blocked in front of goal.
Moments later, chaos at the back nearly gifted Iskra an early goal. A defensive slip saw two attackers go clean through, but Marcin Obyrtacz read the danger perfectly and gathered a poor pass to calm things down.
At the 10-minute mark, the visitors tried their luck from distance, but their effort ballooned harmlessly over the bar. The Dragoons replied with a flowing move in the 16th minute as Campo found space and unleashed an effort. but like the attempt before, the ball sailed high over the target.
Dragoons Come Close
Two minutes later, the Expats came even closer. Voženílek threaded a superb pass across the box to find Ureba García alone at the far post. The Spaniard hit a first-time strike from close range that forced an excellent diving save from the Iskra goalkeeper. He might have buried it, but full credit to the keeper for reacting so well.
End-to-end action followed. Iskra countered quickly, sending a teasing cross into the box that Obyrtacz tipped over. The next ten minutes were tense as both defences held out well due to poor decision making.
Iskra again broke down the right in the 23rd minute and forced another fine stop from Obyrtacz. The visitors had a good chance to score with the rebound, but could only blast into the side-netting.
At the other end, Manuel Rangel raced through on goal a minute later only to trip over his own feet at the vital moment. It summed up the half so far, plenty of effort but just missing that killer edge. The Colombian winger tried again soon after, blasting over from the edge of the area.
Penalty Iskra
With 30 minutes of the game played, Iskra won a penalty after a tangle in the box, with the Dragoons enraged by the decision. Obyrtacz danced on his line as the taker stepped up and it did the trick as the mind games worked out as Polish shot-stopper guessed right, diving low to make a crucial save to keep the Dragoons level.
🧤 HE’S A KEEPER! 🧤
Penalty? No problem. ❌⚽Marcin Obyrtacz 🇵🇱 shows calmness personified and guesses the right way to deny Iskra taking the lead in the first half! ⛔
A big moment from the big man between the posts! 💪🔥#COYD 💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/vahep1AHOg
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) November 4, 2025
It proved to be a turning point. The Expats settled again, and Rangel went close with another effort before the whistle blew for half-time. Despite the goalless scoreline, the game had been far from dull, played at a good pace with both goalkeepers keeping their sides in it.
Second Half
The Dragoons came out firing after the break. Just seconds into the half, Sánchez wriggled free on the right and fired across goal from a tight angle. The ball brushed off a defender and went inches wide as the Expats pushed for the opener.
Moments later, Iskra should have scored on the counter. A rapid break found a man free in the box, but the shot flew over the bar to the Dragoons’ relief. Ferreira responded by bringing on Alonso Villa-García for Campo in the 56th minute to add fresh legs.
Two minutes later, Obyrtacz had to be alert again, tipping a deep free-kick over the bar to deny the ball creeping into the net.
Dragoons Push for the Opener
In the 68th minute, the Dragoons came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock. Jan Krzyżanowski met Roman Bilovol’s searching pass and drilled the ball across the box. A defender intercepted to deny Rangel a tap in, but Voženílek recycled the loose ball inside the box to find Sánchez free. The Colombian dropped a shoulder to beat his man and unleashed a rocket that looked destined for the net, only to smash straight into a defender’s face and deflect wide. Ouch… That looked a painful one!
From the resulting corner, Sánchez rose highest and powered a header toward goal, forcing a flying save from the keeper to keep it out. Enrico Forabosco swung in the next corner, and this time Bilovol met it, but on this occasion the Argentine’s header drifted wide of the target.
Iskra Lead
Goals change games, and in the 74th minute, the visitors made the Dragoons pay for their missed chances. A hanging cross was pushed away by Obyrtacz, but Iskra kept the ball alive as the Dragoons switched off momentarily. The follow-up delivery found Oscar Nunes, who took advantage of statuesque defending to glance a header into the corner of the net to make it 0–1.
Ferreira reacted instantly, introducing Barry Chowaniec and Serhii Yelysieiev for Voženílek and Ureba García in the 77th minute. Yelysieiev dropped to left-back, with Szymon Urzędowski moving into midfield in the space vacated by the Spaniard. Another good shift in his second start for the team.
Two minutes later, Forabosco’s free-kick was headed clear to Krzyżanowski, who curled just over from distance. Soon after, Rangel’s hard-working shift came to an end, with Jan Kołodziejski replacing him up front.
The Dragoons continued to press in their search for an equaliser. Another corner fell to Krzyżanowski, whose well-struck shot forced the keeper into a fine save at full stretch. Down the other end, Iskra responded with a header over the bar as the match began opened up.
Dragoons Level
Persistence finally paid off in the 86th minute as the Expats hauled themselves level. Chowaniec laid the ball back to Forabosco, who sent a looping pass forward. Sánchez reacted quickest, bursting onto the ball and cutting a pass across goal for Kołodziejski, who timed his run perfectly to guide a composed finish under the keeper for 1–1. A poacher’s goal from the Polish forward to get the Dragoons back in it!
🔥 JAN THE MAN! 🔥
Cometh the hour, cometh Kołodziejski! 🇵🇱
The Polish forward arrives in the right place at the right time to bury a deserved 86th minute equaliser for the Expats, in their 1-1 draw with Iskra Krzęcin! 👊#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/w0IfEU9TuQ
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) November 4, 2025
The momentum swung firmly the Expats’ way and they should have taken the lead just a minute later. Yelysieiev’s clever chip found Villa-García, who flicked the ball into the path of Sánchez. The Colombian slipped Kołodziejski through on goal, but the forward seemed to lose balance and struck too early, his effort rolling harmlessly to the keeper arms. It looked like a pass! Frustratingly, both Sánchez and Chowaniec had made excellent supporting runs into the box and a glorious chance went by.
But the Dragoons kept pushing until the very end and nearly stole the points in the 90th minute. Forabosco’s free-kick found Villa-García unmarked in the box. The Peruvian leapt like a salmon to get to the ball, but his header carried too much power and flew agonisingly wide. So close, but yet so far!
Despite the late drama and relentless pressure, the Dragoons had to settle for a 1–1 draw. It wasn’t the third straight win they had hoped for, but it was another performance full of character, spirit, and determination.
The Expats defended well, bar one lapse that cost them a goal, and showed real fight to come from behind. A deserved point, and plenty of positives to take forward.
🇵🇱🎖 MAN OF THE MATCH 🎖🇵🇱
Marcin Obyrtacz 🇵🇱 was in top form again! 💪
A penalty save, key stops, and calm under pressure kept the Dragoons alive. 🧱
Nothing he could do about the goal but a good shift from the stopper! 🧤👏#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/Tw9AQMR7E1
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) November 4, 2025
Next Up
The Dragoons return to action next Saturday for their final match before the winter break, as they face Bieżanowianka. Due to a fixture switch, the game will now be played at home, and the Expats will be looking to end this side of the season on a high. The visitors are currently in 6th position and are two points ahead of the Expats in the league standings.
It will be the fourth meeting between the sides, with Bieżanowianka having won all three of the previous encounters.
The first clash came in the Puchar Polski during the 2020/21 season. A topsy-turvy affair where the Expats led twice. Vitor Pereira opened the scoring early, only for Bieżanowianka to hit back quickly. Flavio Nkola restored the Dragoons’ lead with a deflected strike, but the hosts equalised before the break. Two second-half goals gave Bieżanowianka the advantage, and although Pereira grabbed a late third for the Dragoons, it wasn’t enough to force penalties.
In league meetings, Bieżanowianka ran out 5–3 winners at Prądniczanka, with Forabosco, Alessio Sassini, and Robert Ambrosie on the scoresheet for the Expats.
The most recent encounter descended into farce, as the Dragoons threatened to spoil Bieżanowianka’s promotion party. After conceding an early screamer, the Expats hit back through Joaquín Serrano and Barry Chowaniec to lead at half-time. However, a chaotic second half saw multiple penalty shouts turned down, red cards for Serrano and Forabosco, and five unanswered goals from the hosts, sealing a 6–2 win and clinching the title. To rub salt into the wounds, record top-scorer Adrian Paliś scored in both games for the visitors following his transfer to Bieżanowianka.
