Recap
FOOTBALL IS BACK
The Dragoons shook off the winter cobwebs in typical fashion on Sunday. The Expats made life difficult for themselves before snatching all three points in a gritty 2-1 victory over Zwierzyniecki KS.
Line Up
🐉 LINEUP 🐉
The wait is over. Here is how the Dragoons line up this afternoon as we return to league action against Zwierzyniecki KS.
🧤 GK: 🇵🇱
🛡️ DEF: 🇵🇱 | 🇦🇷 | 🇵🇱 | 🇯🇵
⚙️ MID: 🇪🇸 | 🇪🇸 | 🇳🇱
🏹 ATT: 🇮🇹 | 🇨🇴 | 🇦🇴COME ON YOU DRAGOONS 💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/Eciits38vp
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) March 22, 2026
After a winter break that seemed to last an eternity, Gonçalo Ferreira had a strong squad available to him in the opening game of the spring round. The Portuguese tactician kept faith with Marcin Obyrtacz in goal behind a familiar-looking defensive line. Kuba Drobny captained the side and partnered Roman Bilovol at the heart of the defence. Meanwhile, Szymon Urzędowski started at right-back, with new signing Koki Oe making his debut at left-back.
In the middle, Rob Smits returned from injury to start alongside Bernabé García and Fernando Gámez. Whilst, Obed Sánchez led the line with Flavio Nkola returning on the left wing. On the right, recent signing Mirko Barile earned his first start, becoming the second Dragoon to debut on the day and the latest Italian to join the ranks!
Kick Off
The whistle blew and the rust began to fly immediately as the hosts looked to move the ball quickly into space. An early error from the Expats led to the first shot of the match in the 4th minute. A pass from the back missed its target, but Marcin Obyrtacz clutched the resulting attempt with minimal fuss.
The Dragoons’ first foray forward arrived in the 7th minute. Tidy footwork from the debutant Barile set García down the flank to whip a low cross toward Sánchez. The ball eventually found Flavio Nkola via the Colombian, but the winger spanked an optimistic effort across goal that resulted in a throw-in.
Warning Signs and Jitters
A warning sign flashed for the Dragoons in the 11th minute. The Expats lost possession and a long ball into space behind the Dragoons’ defence took a wicked spin off the turf. The hosts worked a shooting opportunity, forcing Bilovol into a vital block to deny an opening.
Dragoons Fall Behind
The reprieve was short-lived as poor decision-making at the back caused a self-inflicted wound. Zwierzyniecki took the lead in the 14th minute after an under-hit pass from Bilovol allowed an interception. The hosts threaded the ball toward Nataniel Pawelski, who bore down on goal and smashed an unstoppable drive across Obyrtacz and into the top corner of the net for 1-0. It was a great hit, but disappointing for the Dragoons who had yet to get going.
Obyrtacz stepped up again two minutes later to stop a long-range free-kick. The Polish stopper got down with a routine save as the Dragoons continued their slow start.
In the 19th minute, the Dragoons finally threatened a way back into the game. García linked with Nkola, who found Sánchez on the edge of the box. The forward worked an opening with good footwork, but could only drive his attempt into the side netting.
The Equaliser Arrives
The Expats finally began to see more of the ball and knocked it around nicely in the attempt to control the game. They found an equaliser in the 24th minute after a high press inside the Zwierzyniecki half won back possession. Obed Sánchez switched the play from the right flank to find Smits on the edge of the box, who laid a pass to put Nkola in on goal. The Angolan dropped a shoulder to work the ball onto his left foot and struck low into the corner of the net to level the game at 1-1. A good flowing move ending with a neat finish.
The Expats applied heavy pressure immediately after the kickoff. However, a blocked effort from García allowed the hosts to counter. Good defending from Koki Oe stopped a dangerous cross, though he conceded a corner. Consecutive corners followed, and Obyrtacz inadvertently palmed the second straight to an opponent at the far post, but the incoming shot thankfully went wide.
Mixed Styles of Play
A game of mixed styles ensued. The Expats looked to pass forward, but a lack of final touch saw them lose possession far too often. Consequently, the hosts used their pace to catch the Dragoons’ defence high, especially in the space left by the marauding full-backs.
A Golden Chance Blown
The hosts spurned a golden chance to lead in the 35th minute. Gámez was caught in possession inside his own half and a through ball saw Jarek Dziura race through on goal. With Obyrtacz closing the distance, the forward rushed his shot and scooped a poor effort over the bar. The attacker looked for a bobble on the pitch, but truthfully, the Dragoons escaped a certain goal.
Zwierzyniecki side finished the half strongly as another scare followed four minutes later when a corner saw a flicked header divert to the far post and a second attacker directed a difficult chance wide.
Just before the break, the home side produced another chance. On this occasion, Obyrtacz produced an unconventional block to stop a first-time shot inside the box before booting the ball up-field to clear the danger.
The halftime whistle blew with the scores somehow level. The Dragoons had played good football in small patches, but they lacked a proper grip on the game. Poor finishing from Zwierzyniecki kept the scoreline even with the visitors looking dangerous on the counter.
Second Half
Gonçalo Ferreira made a change at the break as Adrian Paliś came on in the place of Mirko Barile.
A quick start to the second half saw the hosts break forward immediately through the pace of Dziura. The forward entered the box and bore down on goal but elected to pass rather than shoot. Bilovol produced heroics with a flying block on the line to deny a goal, and the ball eventually deflected into the grateful grasp of Obyrtacz.
The Dragoons huffed and puffed, but a poor touch saw too many attacks break down. In the 60th minute, an Nkola cross found Paliś for his first involvement, but the striker leaned back and sent his shot sailing over the goal. Two minutes later, Smits provided a delicately clipped pass for Paliś in a good shooting position, but the ball flew off the striker’s shin and dribbled wide.
Formation Change
Ferreira made a triple change immediately after that miss. Mateo Lopez came on for his debut alongside the ever-green Enrico Forabosco and Martin Voženílek. The Dragoons tactician reverted the formation from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 to spark a change of fortune in an attempt to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
Trading Mistakes
The change seemed to bare fruit as the Expats began to find some space out wide, but comical miscues summed up the quality of the second half. Both Nkola and Koki Oe got into great positions, but both saw their crosses fly comically out of play as it appeared nothing would come off for the Dragoons.
Obyrtacz produced another save with ten minutes remaining. As the game stretched, Dziura found space on the right flank and used his acceleration to enter the box, but a heavy touch allowed Obyrtacz to close the gap. The keeper stuck out a leg to win the ball and deny the hosts once again.
At the other end, the Dragoons blew a great chance of their own! Forabosco played an expert long pass to find Koki Oe on the left wing. The Japanese debutant showed an exquisite touch and drove toward the goal with pace and skill. Koki pulled the ball across the face of goal for a Voženílek tap-in, but the Czech somehow produced an air-kick at the worst possible time. A glorious chance for a winner went begging, but the Expats began to exert some pressure.
Dragoons Winner at the Death
In the 89th minute, the Expats stole the points with a moment of real quality. Lopez cut out a long pass with a nice touch and looked for Nkola on the break. The Angolan showed excellent strength to muscle a defender off the ball before darting toward the box. He spotted Gámez’s run and put the ball across the face of goal for the Spaniard. Despite a nasty divot off the turf, the Canarian King displayed calmness personified by reading the bounce of the ball and expertly guided it into the net for the winner.
The late goal knocked the stuffing out of the hosts. Zwierzyniecki threw bodies forward as the game entered injury time, but brave defending ensured the Dragoons stood firm until the final whistle.
The Dragoons had to come from behind to beat a stubborn Zwierzyniecki KS side to claim all three points on Sunday.#COYD💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/47XfRPq6ED
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) March 23, 2026
Sometimes football kicks you when you are down, and that certainly happened to Zwierzyniecki today. While the match was not a great spectacle for the neutral, the Expats held firm with some great defending and a bit of fortune. The quality and determination of the team saw them play until the end to finally get over the line. Despite the chances for the hosts, the game was pretty evenly contested in the most part, but the Expats know they will have to be better in the coming weeks.
MOTM: Flavio Nkola 🇦🇴
After an injury layoff, Flavio is back with a bang! 💥
The difference-maker in our 2-1 win vs Zwierzyniecki KS, he levelled the scores with a clinical finish before unselfishly squaring for Gámez🇪🇸🇮🇨 to seal the 3 points. 🐲🔥
Welcome back, Flavi! 🤝🏿💪🏿 pic.twitter.com/FsnOUbR5LP
— Krakow Dragoons FC (@DragoonsFc) March 23, 2026
Next Up: Fairant
The Dragoons return home next Sunday for the visit of fifth-placed Fairant. The visitors suffered a losing start to the spring round, falling to a late 2-0 defeat against league leaders Trzebol.
When the two sides met earlier this season, Fairant ran out 2-0 winners on a bad day at the office for the Dragoons. So far, they have won seven, drawn three, and lost four this season. They boast one of the league’s meanest defences, but a win for the Dragoons will see the Expats move level on points with their rivals.
