Polonia Warszawa vs Zawisza Bydgoszcz

Polonia dominated the first half from the outset. Kacper Kostorz opened the scoring in the 8th minute, converting from close range after a well-worked move. The 25-year-old striker doubled his tally in the 21st minute, finishing confidently to make it 2-0.

Simon Skrabb added a third in the 42nd minute to send Polonia into the break with a commanding 3-0 lead. The I liga side had complete control, barely allowing Zawisza a sight of goal in the opening 45 minutes.

Polonia made wholesale changes at half-time, introducing seven substitutes including Adrian Sandach, Robert Dadok, new signing Jakub Budnicki, Jakub Paszkowski, Karol Gorzędowski, Nikita Vasin and Antoni Kapusta.

Zawisza, who earned promotion to the II liga last season, grew into the game after the restart. Bartosz Kuśmierczyk — recently loaned in from Pogoń II Szczecin — pulled one back in the 76th minute. Deep into stoppage time, Michał Kalitta (a summer arrival from Wda Świecie) made it 3-2 with a late strike, but Polonia held on through the remaining minutes.

Polonia's three-goal first-half burst effectively decided the match. Zawisza's second-half fightback — two goals after the 75th minute — made the scoreline respectable but never threatened to overturn the deficit. The hosts' sharpness in the opening period, contrasting with their disjointed second-half display featuring multiple changes, created an insurmountable gap.

Kacper Kostorz (Polonia Warszawa) — Two well-taken first-half goals in what was his most productive pre-season outing. The striker, who had struggled for goals in earlier friendlies, looked sharp in the final third and will be a key figure for Stokowiec when the league campaign begins.

Simon Skrabb (Polonia Warszawa) — The Finnish midfielder scored Polonia's third goal just before half-time and was involved in much of his side's best attacking work in the first period. His creativity from midfield adds a different dimension to Polonia's play.

Mateusz Jeleń (Polonia Warszawa) — The goalkeeper started and kept a clean sheet in the first half, commanding his area well. He was replaced at half-time as part of the mass changes.

Bartosz Kuśmierczyk (Zawisza Bydgoszcz) — The on-loan forward scored Zawisza's first goal and sparked his side's second-half revival, earning a penalty for his team with his movement and persistence.

The 3-0 half-time scoreline reflected Polonia's complete first-half dominance, with Kostorz and Skrabb converting the chances created. The 3-2 final score flattered Zawisza slightly — their two goals came in the final 15 minutes after Polonia had made extensive substitutions and taken their foot off the gas. The match was played in a 3x45-minute format, as announced by Polonia before the game, giving both coaches maximum opportunity to rotate.

This was Polonia's final pre-season friendly before the 2026/27 Betclic 1 Liga season. Stokowiec's side finished 6th last season (53 points) and reached the promotion play-off final, where they lost to Wieczysta Kraków. They open the new campaign away at Puszcza Niepołomice on 26 July (19:30 local time).

Zawisza, who won their III liga group last season to secure promotion to the II liga, have one more friendly before their league opener. They have strengthened with the arrivals of Mateusz Stępień (Puszcza Niepołomice), Maciej Mas (Olimpia Grudziądz), Michał Kalitta (Wda Świecie) and the loan of Bartosz Kuśmierczyk (Pogoń II Szczecin).

Polonia's pre-season form (six friendlies, three wins, one draw, two losses since early July) has been mixed, but the 3-0 first-half display here offered encouragement ahead of the competitive fixtures that matter.

A game of two halves — Polonia's first XI looked sharp and clinical, while the second-string struggled to maintain control. Stokowiec will be pleased with Kostorz's brace and the fluidity of the first-half performance, but the defensive lapses after the break will need addressing before the league opener at Puszcza Niepołomice in a week's time.