Recap
Cup Run Ends
The Dragoons’ adventure in the Puchar Polski came to a brave conclusion on Wednesday night, as 5. Liga side Radziszowianka Radziszów showed their quality to run out 3-1 winners.
Following the excellent 3rd round victory over Kolejarz-Prokocim, Gonçalo Ferreira made four changes to the line up.
🏆🌍 STARTING XI 🌍🏆
Head Coach Gonçalo Ferreira 🇵🇹 has picked his side for tonight’s Puchar Polski 4th Round clash 🏆
This is how we line up tonight 👇
🧤 GK: 🇨🇱
🛡️ DEF: 🇦🇷 🇵🇱 🇨🇴 🇵🇱
⚔️ MID: 🇨🇩 🇮🇹/🇫🇮 🇪🇸
🎯 FW: 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 🇵🇱COME ON YOU DRAGOONS 🐉#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/aDFje2FdZy
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 20, 2025
Gabi Muñoz retained his place between the posts, with Roman Bilovol and Szymon Urzędowski continuing at right and left back respectively. The only change in defence saw Obed Sánchez come in for his first start, replacing Brian Lemmen to partner Kuba Drobny in the centre.
In midfield, Corneille Malonga earned a spot in the starting XI ahead of Omar Atzori, joining the evergreen Enrico Forabosco and Fernando Gámez, who slotted in for the unavailable Alonso Villa-García.
Further forward, Adrian Paliś shifted to the right wing, with Yuri Samyonov leading the line as the central striker. Serhii Yelysieiev once again started on the left, as Martin Voženílek dropped out of the side.
Flying Start
The Expats could not have dreamed of a better beginning. With just five minutes played, a searching run from Serhii Yelysieiev won his side an early corner kick. Enrico Forabosco delivered a teasing corner into the danger zone and Obed Sánchez shrugged off his marker to glance a headed effort into the net to give the Dragoons a sensational early lead. Two goals in two appearances for the Dragoons new Colombian defender!
💥 Obed Again! 💥
Unfortunately, the Expats exited the Puchar Polski 🏆 but did take the lead in the 5th minute! 🎥
The Dragoons Man of The Match 🎖, Obed Sánchez 🇨🇴 scored his second goal for the team, a carbon copy of his first goal, as the Expats dared to dream!#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/GpyZiYHiJJ
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 22, 2025
Radziszowianka responded with pressure of their own, forcing a series of corners and testing the backline. However, the Dragoons held firm as Sánchez blocked a 14th minute opportunity and poor finishing saw the goal untroubled.
Holding the Lead
Despite the pressure, the Expats looked dangerous on the break. In the 23rd minute, Forabosco threaded an exquisite pass with the outside of his boot to find the run of Gámez. The Spaniard, in turn picked out Urzędowski in nosebleed territory just inside the box, with the utilityman shooting just wide.
🎨 Football as Art… Until the Finish! 🎨
A delicious pass from Enrico Forabosco 🇮🇹, a great run & cut-back by Fernando Gámez 🇪🇸, resulting in a nearly moment for Szymon Urzędowski 🇵🇱 in nose bleed territory as the Expats threatened to go 2-0 ahead!#COYD💙🖤 https://t.co/71fnKg6A6l pic.twitter.com/BbnsIOOHDy
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 22, 2025
Injury struck on 32 minutes when Adrian Paliś went down off the ball and had to be replaced by Jan Kołodziejski.
The Dragoons managed to cope with the loss of their talismanic goal scorer and began to take the game to their higher level opponents. A good period of passing football ended with Yelysieiev trying his luck from distance but firing over.
However, as half-time approached, Radziszowianka cranked up the pressure in their search for an equaliser. The Dragoons defence began to wobble as they struggled to clear their lines and Muñoz saved a low shot from inside the box. Still the Expats could not cleat the ball away and eventually conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box. Fortunately, the incoming set-piece came straight at Muñoz, who did well to tip the ball over his own crossbar.
Still Radziszowianka pushed forward in the dying embers of the half. A low cross ping-ponged through a forest of legs and again Muñoz had to be called into action to prevent an own goal, with the Expats smashing the rebound away from danger.
Finally, the referee’s whistle finally arrived with the Dragoons still ahead. Despite some heavy pressure, the Dragoons had defended well, kept their shape and looked dangerous on the counter.
Second Half
After a delayed start to the second half, Radziszowianka came flying out of the blocks determined to force their way back into the tie.
With just eight minutes played after the restart, they found their equaliser after penning the Dragoons inside their own half. The visitors moved the ball quickly to the edge of the box and a fierce strike was blocked. The rebound fell straight to an opponent inside the box, who left Muñoz no chance as the net rippled for 1-1.
Just two minutes later, the Dragoons really ought to have re-taken their lead with their first attack of the half. Forabosco sent a through-pass to release the excellently timed run of Samyonov, who ran through on goal. However, the striker could not convert one v one, side-footing tamely making for a simple save from the keeper.
😱Yuri vs Keeper😱
One chance, one duel, one big “what if.”
Enrico Forabosco’s 🇮🇹 through pass found Yuri Samyonov’s 🇮🇱 beautifully timed run to go one v one with the keeper.
Unfortunately, the keeper came out on top as the Dragoons came close to retaking the lead#COYD💙🖤 https://t.co/YZcnLCS4Sp pic.twitter.com/0afckpoCyb
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 22, 2025
Injuries continued to haunt the Expats as Gámez went down on the hour mark with cramp. The Dragoons battled on with ten men, and Roman Bilovol rescued his side by clearing a cross inside the six-yard box that looked destined for an easy tap-in.
On 68 minutes, Radziszowianka ruthlessly punished the Dragoons, taking the lead to capitalise on their second-half dominance.. A slick ball cut through the defence, and a forward calmly applied the finish from inside the box for 1-2.
Throwing Everything Forward
The Expats refused to go quietly and began to show some attacking urgency, coming close to an immediate reply. Good work from Kołodziejski saw a pass allowing Malonga to break through into the visitors box. The heel-snapper had the ball taken off him by Samyonov, who tried to work a shooting chance but opted to pass to Yelysieiev in space. The Ukrainian hit a first-time effort at goal but blazed a good chance over.
🚀 Serhii Sends It Over! 🚀
Great build-up involving Jan Kołodziejski 🇵🇱 bursting forward with power, Corneille Malonga 🇨🇩 & Yuri Samyonov 🇮🇱 to find Serhii Yelesieiev 🇺🇦 in space.
A golden chance for an equaliser sadly missed from our usually deadly winger!#COYD💙🖤 https://t.co/ACSqwD4QM2 pic.twitter.com/Gs0pxdUW55
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 22, 2025
As the game began to open up, chances fell at both ends. Muñoz had to tip a goal bound effort over before a golden chance fell to the Expats. A delightful touch from Kołodziejski saw the Polish forward put in a dangerous low cross that seemed to hit Urzędowski in front of goal. The ball eventually fell to Yelysieiev, whose shot looked destined to hit the net only to be blocked away.
⚡️ Chaos at Both Ends! ⚡️
Great work sees Jan Kołodziejski 🇵🇱 cross just behind Urzędowski 🇵🇱, & Yelysieiev’s 🇺🇦 follow-up is blocked… then Radziszowianka somehow smash the bar with the goal gaping 😱 before Roman Bilovol 🇦🇷 turns superhero with a heroic block on the line! 🦸♂️ https://t.co/PFJKinf0IX pic.twitter.com/uXhQwgRqFG
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 22, 2025
Meanwhile, straight down the other end Radziszowianka came even closer with an electric counter. The hosts burst forward with pace and a cross found an opponent at the back post who somehow struck the bar from six yards out! The rebound fell straight to a second attacker who blasted at goal from close range, only for Bilovol to stand tall heroically and block the shot off the line.
Devastating Counter
The Dragoons pushed bodies forward in search of an equaliser, but the visitors struck the decisive blow in the 88th minute with a counter-attack that made it 1-3. Radziszowianka broke with numbers and an attacker received the ball to go through and tapped past Muñoz for the third goal.
Still the Expats showed their character as they looked to fightback late in the game. A thunderous strike from Yelysieiev almost clawed one back in the 90th minute, but the keeper stood firm to gather at the second attempt.
End of the Road, but Not the Spirit
At the final whistle, the scoreboard read 1-3 handing Gonçalo Ferreira his first defeat in charge, but the story was much bigger. The Dragoons had gone further in the Puchar Polski than ever before, writing a new chapter into the clubs history. Against a side two divisions higher, the Expats fought bravely, defended with heart, and even dared to dream with Sánchez’s early strike. Superior fitness carried the visitors over the line as the Dragoons’ gas tanks emptied, but the team can hold their heads high after the way they approached the game.
🇨🇴🎖 MAN OF THE MATCH 🎖🇨🇴
Obed Sánchez 🇨🇴 capped his first start with an early header ⚽️ and a rock-solid display at the back.
Calm, commanding, and later even driving the attack, a true powerhouse performance for the Dragoons! 🐉
¡Felicidades, Obed! 👏💪 pic.twitter.com/Cw496i9BjH
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) August 21, 2025
Next Up
League action returns as the Expats start their season against Zwierzyniecki Kraków. The Dragoons’ first opponents finished in 6th position last season and will provide a stern test on the opening day!
The Expats have come up against Zwierzyniecki twice in our history and have yet to have found victory, drawing once and losing once.
