Dragoons 7-0 Opatkowianka: Bouncing Back

Fernado Gámez of Krakow Dragoons FC
7
Dragoons Dragoons
0
Opatkowianka Opatkowianka
Sat, 6 Sep 2025 19:00 Klasa A — Week 3
Gronostajowa 12

Recap

Bouncing Back

The Dragoons roared back to form in their third game of the season, hammering Opatkowianka Kraków 7-0 this past weekend.

After last week’s frustrating defeat at Fairant, Gonçalo Ferreira responded with four changes to the starting line-up.

Marcin Obyrtacz retained his spot in goal, while Francesco Leuci shifted inside to partner Kuba Drobny at centre-back, replacing Simon Calabrese. Roman Bilovol continued at right-back, with Szymon Urzędowski restored to the XI on the left.

In midfield, captain Enrico Forabosco led the side alongside Fernando Gámez, with Omar Atzori starting at the base in place of Corneille Malonga.

Barry Chowaniec made his first start of the season on the right wing, replacing the injured Serhii Yelysieiev, who watched on from the stands. Janek Kołodziejski lined up on the left, while Obed Sánchez returned to lead the attack.

Krakow Dragoons FC players posing for a pre-match photo
Starting XI — Jan Kołodziejski, Bartek Chowaniec, Kuba Drobny, Francesco Leuci, Marcin Obyrtacz and Roman Bilovol (top); Enrico Forabosco (C), Szymon Urzędowski, Omar Atzori, Fernando Gámez and Obed Sánchez (bottom)

First Half

The Expats immediately set the tempo, pressing aggressively and looking to play on the front foot.

Within four minutes, they tested the visiting keeper through Roman Bilovol. The Argentine controlled neatly on his knee before striking a shot that bounced awkwardly in front of goal, forcing the keeper to tip it around the post.

Two minutes later, Opatkowianka broke the Dragoons early dominance with their first attempt at goal. A poorly defended set-piece reached the back post, where an attacker launched into a diving header. Thankfully, the ball flew wide as the Expats’ goal survived.

Dragoons Strike Early

Sometimes football is all intricate passing and clever movement. Other times, it’s a good old-fashioned hoof and hope. This was the latter.

Obyrtacz booted his goal-kick up-field towards Obed Sánchez just inside his own half and the striker muscled his marker aside and flicked the ball into space. Fernando Gámez gambled on the Colombian winning the header, and got to the ball first, taking a touch to take it away from a defender. The Canarian King showed ice-cool composure as he bore down on goal, rounding the goalkeeper before rifling high into the roof of the net for 1–0. Sean Dyche will be proud of that one ladies and gentleman!

Dragoons Double Up

By the 18th minute, the Expats had their second. Kuba Drobny found himself advanced inside the visitors half and challenged well to quickly win back possession. The Dragoons worked the ball to the right flank with Roman Bilovol crossing towards Enrico Forabosco inside the box. Forabosco, never known for his aerial prowess, barely connected, and the ball trickled to Kołodziejski on the byline. The winger cleverly cut it back to Gámez, who steered a tidy finish past the keeper to go further ahead. Two for the Spaniard and two for the Expats, who fully deserved their lead.

The Dragoons kept piling on the pressure. Kołodziejski robbed possession high upfield and slipped a pass into Urzędowski, who spotted Sánchez in space. The Colombian jinked to create room but blazed his effort over the bar.

Creating Chances

Sánchez soon had another bite at the cherry. In the 27th minute, Bilovol launched a long ball down the channel for Chowaniec. The winger accelerated clear and squared into Sánchez’s path. Somehow, the Colombian leaned back and fired his shot into orbit. NASA is still tracking it.

Four minutes later, Urzędowski delivered a delicious cross from the left. Sánchez ghosted into space, met it with his head, but couldn’t direct it on target.

Preserving the Lead

On 32 minutes, Atzori gave away a free-kick and picked up a rather harsh booking. The visitors had a an attempt from distance, with the ball swerving nastily and bouncing awkwardly in front of Obyrtacz. However, the Polish stopper showed good hands to hold on to the shot to deny any rebound.

Opatkowianka tried to wrestle back control with a spell of heavy tackling and possession of their own. Thankfully, the Dragoons stood firm to protect their goal and refused to lose their heads.

Then, on 42 minutes, Sánchez expertly rolled his man and released Bilovol down the flank. The full-back’s cross was half-cleared to Gámez, whose sweetly struck volley forced the keeper into a low save.

Penalty Dragoons!

Persistence brought a third just before the break. Chowaniec broke dangerously, latching onto a fine pass from Kołodziejski. The attacker by-passed one challenge inside the box, before being poleaxed by a second to win a clear penalty. Forabosco placed the ball on the spot, and stepped up confidently to send the keeper the wrong way. A third goal for the Expats and 53rd strike in a Dragoons jersey for the midfield magician.

Soon after, the referee blew the whistle to end the half. The Dragoons had dominated the game albeit a ten minute spell, where the visitors broke their rhythm. The third goal came at a great time, giving the Expats plenty of breathing space at the break.

Second Half

The Dragoons came out flying after the restart. First, Chowaniec’s cut-back found Bilovol, who drilled narrowly wide. Then Kołodziejski burst forward on 50 minutes, driving at the defence before hitting a shot wide.

A minute later, Kuba Drobny had a great chance to open his account for the season. Forabosco’s corner landed nicely onto the defender’s head. However, Drobny got under the ball and powered his headed effort high over the target.

Hat Trick Hero

On 54 minutes, the game was over as a contest as the Expats added their fourth of the game. A terrible error saw a visiting defender pass straight to Gámez who picked out Chowaniec free to his right. The Pole came forward and played an inch-perfect return pass back to the advancing Spaniard, who clipped the ball over the advancing keeper to complete his hat trick. A really well worked goal for the Canarian King’s fifth of the season!

On the hour mark, further disaster struck for the visitors as their goalkeeper went down and had to be replaced. Meanwhile, the Dragoons made a double change as Gámez and Chowaniec made way for Yuri Samyonov and Rob Smits. A welcome return for the Dutchmeester after injury.

Visitors Search for Consolation

With the Dragoons well ahead, they began to take their foot off the gas as the visitors came close twice in the 66th minute. A Leuci interception diverted a dangerous cross over his own bar preventing a tap in. From the corner, Sánchez’s outstretched leg deflected another goalbound effort over the top of the Dragoons’ crossbar.

Opatkowianka continued to make life uncomfortable for the Expats and came even closer to a consolation just a minute later. The visitors broke forward in numbers and swung a cross to the far post. An opposing forward jumped highest to direct a header at goal, but the ball struck Drobny, who then blocked another effort.

Dragoons Down to Ten

In the 69th minute, Atzori mistimed a tackle, collected a second yellow, and left the Dragoons a man light. Opatkowianka tested Obyrtacz from the resulting free-kick, but he made a routine save.

Second Penalty!

The Expats refused to let the setback derail them. On 77 minutes, Samyonov cleared a corner and released Kołodziejski. The winger galloped forward from deep inside his own half, going past an opponent before going on a lung busting run, only ending with an intentional clip of the heels inside the opposition box. Surprisingly, the referee only brandished yellow, but justice was done as Kołodziejski dusted himself down and calmly slotted the penalty past the reach of the keeper for 5–0. A deserved goal for an excellent performance from the winger.

Number Six

Despite being a man down, the Dragoons kept attacking. On 81 minutes, neat interplay between Forabosco, Samyonov, and Smits found the run of Szymon Urzędowski on the left flank. Cutting inside on the edge of the box, the utilityman unleashed a low drive at goal. The shot proved too hot for the keeper to handle, as he flung himself to his right, but could only palm the ball into the net as the Expats added their sixth of the game.

Final Flourish

Deep into injury time, the Expats added the final flourish. Colombian substitute Stiven Campo combined with Bilovol, who whipped a teasing cross into the box. The ball came back to Campo, whose first touch slipped into the path of Kołodziejski. Before the Pole could turn and strike, Campo stole in again to prod the ball across to the unmarked Samyonov, and the Israeli kept his cool to slide his finish under the keeper to complete the rout. It was a welcome goal, ending a frustrating barren spell in front of goal for the Dragoons striker.

Seconds later, the referee ended proceedings. An excellent win, three points, and the perfect response to last week’s defeat. Fernando Gámez will win the plaudits with a hat trick, however, it had been an outstanding team performance from front to back. The defence held firm when called upon, and Sánchez did a steady job linking the play in attack.

Next Up

The Dragoons climb to fourth after three games.

Next weekend, they face table-toppers Płomień Kostrze, who have netted 18 goals from three matches and conceded only 3. It will be a stern test, but the Expats head into it brimming with confidence.

Posted on By Dave Burch
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Lineup
99Marcin Obyrtacz (pol)
3Obed Sánchez (col) 6
8Enrico Forabosco (fin/ita) 17 45'
62'
13Kuba Drobny (pol)
14Roman Bilovol (arg)
16Francesco Leuci (ita) 73 22'
21Fernando Gámez (esp) 25 7', 18', 54'
33Omar Atzori (ita) 32', 69'
69'
44Bartek Chowaniec (pol) 9
77Jan Kołodziejski (pol) 77'
97Szymon Urzędowski (pol) 81'
1Gabriel Muñoz (chi)
6Brian Lemmen (ned) 3
9Yuri Samyonov (isr) 44 90'
17Stiven Campo (col) 8
25Rob Smits (ned) 21
73Alejandro Pascual (esp) 16

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