Znicz Pruszków vs Polonia Warszawa

Znicz struck first inside seven minutes. Adrian Kazimierczak found the net early to give the visitors a 1-0 lead, a start that suggested Znicz — relegated from I liga at the end of last season — might dominate proceedings.

Polonia grew into the half and equalised three minutes before the break. Centre-back Aleksander Gołoś scored in the 42nd minute to send the teams in level at 1-1.

The second half began with Polonia on top. A trialist striker put the Czarne Koszule ahead in the 55th minute, capitalising on a disjointed Znicz defence that had yet to settle after the restart.

But Znicz responded emphatically. Within a minute of falling behind, trialist Jan Kosmalski — on trial from Jagiellonia II Białystok — equalised in the 56th minute, restoring parity less than 90 seconds after Polonia had taken the lead.

The winner came in the 75th minute. Another trialist, Sebastian Rojek (on trial from Pogoń Szczecin), slotted home to complete the turnaround and seal a 3-2 victory for Znicz.

Polonia's 55th-minute lead lasted barely 60 seconds. Znicz's instant response through Kosmalski prevented Polonia from building any momentum off their go-ahead goal, and once Rojek struck in the 75th minute, the home side — who had changed their entire outfield XI at half-time — could not find a way back.

Sebastian Rojek (Znicz Pruszków) — The trialist from Pogoń Szczecin scored the 75th-minute winner in his first outing for the club. His composed finish decided the contest.

Jan Kosmalski (Znicz Pruszków) — On trial from Jagiellonia II Białystok, Kosmalski equalised within a minute of Polonia's second goal, preventing the momentum from swinging.

Adrian Kazimierczak (Znicz Pruszków) — Opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a well-taken finish, setting the early tone for Znicz.

Aleksander Gołoś (Polonia Warszawa) — The young centre-back scored Polonia's equaliser just before half-time and was one of the few bright spots in a Polonia defence that leaked three goals.

The 1-1 half-time scoreline reflected an evenly contested first period, with Kazimierczak's early strike cancelled out by Gołoś's late equaliser. But the second half told a different story: three goals in a 20-minute span (55', 56', 75') showed a game that opened up markedly as both sides fatigued and rotated personnel.

Polonia fielded a completely different XI in the second half — a common pre-season tactic — which contributed to their defensive disorganisation. Znicz's two trialists (Kosmalski and Rojek) proved the difference, contributing two of the three second-half goals.

Yellow cards were shown to Polonia's Gołoś, an unnamed trialist and Paweł Olszewski — a reflection of a competitive friendly that never boiled over.

This was the first pre-season friendly of summer 2026 for both sides. Znicz Pruszków, relegated from I liga after finishing 17th in 2025/26 (7 wins, 20 defeats, 40 goals scored, 68 conceded), are rebuilding under coach Łukasz Smolarow, who extended his contract through 2027.

Polonia Warszawa, who finished 6th in I liga last season (15 wins, 12 defeats, 54 goals scored), are undergoing a significant rebuild. Twelve players left the club this summer, including top scorer Łukasz Zjawiński (20 goals). Coach Piotr Stokowiec used full squad rotation, testing several trialists and youth prospects.

For Znicz, the win — their fifth in the nine meetings between the clubs across all competitions — offers early encouragement. But the heavy reliance on trialists for goals also highlights the attacking void left by the departure of Radosław Majewski (11 goals last season).

Polonia's next competitive fixture is away to Puszcza Niepołomice on 26 July 2026. Znicz continue pre-season preparations ahead of the 2026/27 II liga campaign.

An entertaining pre-season friendly full of goals and squad rotation, but one that told Polonia's new-look side little they did not already know: the rebuild is substantial, and defensive cohesion will take time. For Znicz, the trialists delivered, but Smolarow will need permanent solutions before the competitive season begins.