Star Starachowice vs Mazovia Minsk Mazowiecki

The decisive moment arrived in the 60th minute. Jakub Kowalski struck for Star Starachowice, finishing a move to make it 2-1. The goal came minutes after Dawid Rosiak, the Mazovia goalkeeper, had made a close-range save and was then beaten on the rebound — Kowalski was the man to capitalise.

Mazovia pushed for an equaliser in the latter stages. Patryk Zych and Mateusz Różański combined in the 85th minute, with Różański's effort appearing to cross the line from the bench's perspective but missing by centimetres. Radosław Cielemęcki also went close a minute later, but Star held on.

Bartosz Boniecki (Star Starachowice) — Scored the opening goal with a composed finish and was a lively presence on the left flank before being substituted at half-time in what appeared to be a planned rotation. Player of the Match.

Jakub Kowalski (Star Starachowice) — Scored the winner in the 60th minute from a rebound, and was a persistent threat in central areas. Played the full 60 minutes before being substituted.

Michał Kuczałek (Mazovia Minsk Mazowiecki) — The standout performer for the visitors. Scored a well-taken equaliser, hit the woodwork with a header, and was a constant menace in the final third.

The raw data from this friendly is limited — no detailed xG, possession or shot counts are publicly available for this level of pre-season football. The match report from both clubs, however, paints a clear picture: the first half was evenly contested with Mazovia arguably the sharper side, creating several clear chances. Star's second-half goal came after a period of Mazovia pressure, reflecting the hosts' ability to stay compact and strike on the counter. The 2-1 scoreline understates the competitiveness of the contest.

This was Star Starachowice's sixth pre-season friendly and their fourth win of the summer. As a regular III liga (group 4) side, they are further along in their pre-season preparations than Mazovia, for whom this was only the second friendly. Mazovia are preparing for their historic debut in Betclic 3 Liga (group 1) after winning promotion last season.

Star Starachowice face two more friendlies: Oskar Przysucha on 22 July and Neptun Końskie on 25 July. Mazovia have a double-header next weekend against Ząbkovia Ząbki and Israeli side Hapoel Raanana, before their league opener against Jagiellonia II Białystok on 29 July.

A useful pre-season workout for both sides. Star's extra preparation time showed in their second-half organisation, while Mazovia — despite the defeat — will take encouragement from their first-half performance and the sharpness of Michał Kuczałek. The result matters less than the minutes in legs at this stage of pre-season.