Recap
Controversy Costs Dragoons Dearly
The Dragoons travelled to Płomień Kostrze looking to bounce back from a heavy home defeat against Tramwaj II. Despite taking an early lead, the expats suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss after a difficult second-half performance.
Line Up
Coach Gonçalo Ferreira had to shuffle his pack due to several absences. Marcin Obyrtacz retained his position in goal, while the defensive line saw Brian Lemmen partner Roman Bilovol at centre back. Kuba Drobny missed out to serve a suspension following his dismissal in the Tramwaj fixture last weekend. Simon Calabrese and Szymon Urzędowski occupied the full-back positions to complete the back four.
In the middle of the park, Enrico Forabosco and Bernabé García anchored the midfield once again. However, an injury to playmaker Fernando Gámez opened the door for Stiven Campo to enter the starting line-up. Further forward, there were two changes to the attack as Martin Voženílek dropped out the squad entirely, with Adrian Paliś on the bench. Giordano Zambon led the line as the central striker, flanked by Koki Oe on the left and Mirko Barile on the right.
First Half
The match began with the hosts looking to grab an early goal, threatening twice within the first five minutes. Firstly, Igor Ziembicki was sent through on goal with a clipped pass over the Expats defence. However, a heavy touch allowed Obyrtacz to make up the distance and stop the attacker from scoring. The rebound fell back to a Kostrze attacker, but Roman Bilovol made a vital intervention inside the box to clear.
Almost immediately after, a Płomień man cut out Barile’s attempted pass. A lovely slide-rule pass found the perfectly timed run of Ziembicki to send the striker in at goal again. On this occasion, the attacker got his shot off, but could only hit the ball straight at Obyrtacz to save and keep the game level.
In the 8th minute, the Dragoons found some rhythm and had their first effort at goal. Brian Lemmen advanced out of defence to pick out Koki Oe twenty-five metres from goal. The attacker hit a low dipping effort that bounced awkwardly infront of Jonaton Niepogoda. However, the keeper read the shot well and got down to push the attempt away.
Dragoons Lead!
A slow paced game came to life in the 25th minute as the Expats took the lead against the run of play. Zambon sent a flick-on forward that released Koki Oe, who showed a great touch and immense strength to shrug off two defenders. He remained calm under pressure and slotted the ball neatly under Niepogoda to give the Dragoons the lead.
That first goal feeling!🙌
Koki Oe 🇯🇵 followed up his MOTM performance with a clinical finish to open his Dragoons account. A brilliant blend of strength and composure! 🛡️💨
Keep an eye out for the full match highlights, dropping soon. 🎥👀#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/tJNioxQRBZ
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) April 21, 2026
Unfortunately, the celebrations turned sour when Roman Bilovol engaged in a silly provocation in front of the opponents. His antics saw the Płomień goalkeeper, Niepogoda, suddenly transform into a WWE superstar to defend his team’s honour. The keeper appeared to channel his inner JBL as he levelled the Argentine with a clothesline… Despite this clear red-card offence, the referee controversially opted to show only a yellow card to both players involved, despite initially going to his back pocket and held the red in his hand. This was certainly not the first time the man in the middle, Łukasz Kaszuba, has made a game-changing decision against the Dragoons…
The Hosts Level
This officiating decision seemed to unsettle the Expats, and despite not overly troubling the visitors backline, they found themselves level in the 35th minute. A direct corner from Kamil Wcisło saw Obyrtacz flap at the ball under pressure and the ball nestled into the net. The Dragoons claimed a foul, but in truth, Obyrtacz needed to be stronger.
Consequently, the teams went into the halftime break level at 1-1 after a tense opening period. Płomień had allowed the Dragoons time on the ball with a lack of a press in the first half , but the Expats could not make it stick in attack. Down the other end, the team had defended stoutly after a shaky opening and had largely kept the league leaders at bay.
Second Half
Gonçalo Ferreira made a change at the break, withdrawing Stiven Campo for Barry Chowaniec. However, despite the change, the second half began poorly for the Dragoons. The hosts came out of the blocks quickly, intensified their pressure, and actively pressed the Expats backline. The visitors struggled to play through the press and the ball kept on coming back at them as the league leaders looked to find a goal.
Set-Piece Woes Continue
In the 55th minute, the Dragoons succumbed to the pressure and fell behind after another corner into the box. On this occasion, a whipped cross saw Obyrtacz fist away unconvincingly. With no distance on the punch, the ball dropped straight to Tomasz Larysz to lash a shot into the goal for 2-1.
In the 63rd minute, the Expats managed to win a free-kick in an advanced position. Midfield Magician Enrico Forabosco stepped over the ball and launched a near perfect shot, but Niepogoda produced a spectacular flying save to deny the Italian an equaliser.
After a flurry of substitutions and a change of formation the Dragoons lost all momentum and failed to trouble the hosts.
Kostrze Net a Third
In the 71st minute, any thought of a comeback attempt ended as the hosts scored a third goal. The Dragoons began to rush the ball and a loss of possession just inside their own half allowed Płomień to break down the right flank. With the Expats’ defence all at sea, a simple pass across the face of goal found Andrzej Stryszowski alone at the far post. The Kostrze sub had the simple task of putting the ball past Obyrtacz to extend the lead to 3-1.
The Dragoons huffed and puffed, but could not find a way back into the game, with the hosts more likely to score as the game drew to it’s conclusion.
Two Losses on the Trot
A disappointing second-half saw the Dragoons lose their second consecutive match. Although the Expats played well in the first half, they struggled to maintain their intensity after the interval. Consequently, the tactical changes made by coach Gonçalo Ferreira failed to have the desired impact as the team chased the game.
While the Dragoons largely restricted the home side’s chances in the second period, they became their own worst enemy. Too much rushing under pressure saw possession lost cheaply, and an inability to keep the ball in the final third hindered them. This lack of composure and a lack of an outlet meant the Dragoons could not build the sustained pressure required to mount a comeback.
Crucially, the decision of the referee to not send off the home keeper straight after the goal proved to be a key moment. Had the official followed the rules, the home side would have been down to ten men. With a numerical and score advantage, the Dragoons could potentially have taken full control of the game.
Undoubtedly, the Expats faced a significant challenge as several “big hitters” were unavailable for the trip. However, it is a vital time for the replacements on the periphery of the squad to show they can handle the pressure when the time comes. While stepping into the starting eleven or coming off the bench is never easy, these players have a genuine opportunity to give the coach a selection headache.
To find success, the group must pull together and prove that every player is ready to contribute when given the opportunity to turn narrow margins into victory.
🎖 MAN OF THE MATCH 🎖
A tough morning in Kostrze, but Koki Oe 🇯🇵 stood out as our most dangerous asset to earn MOTM! 🎖
Koki was a constant thorn, scoring a brilliant first goal for the club!
Bravo, Koki! 🇯🇵👏#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/yGZvyKVltK
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) April 20, 2026
Next Up: Pogoń II Kraków
Following the disappointing defeat against Płomień, the Dragoons return to action to face bottom side Pogoń II Kraków.
A sweltering hot day saw the sides meet previously last September. On that occasion, goals either side of the break from Obed Sanchez and Jan Kołodziejski secured the expats the points. After two consecutive defeats, can the expats get back to winning ways and find their clinical edge?
