Wisła Kraków began their Turkish training camp with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk. Goals from Ángel Rodado and Łukasz Zwoliński secured the win for manager Mariusz Jop’s men in their opening friendly fixture.
The match started brightly for the Kraków outfit, but it was Zorya who drew first blood in the 10th minute. A slip on the waterlogged pitch by Ángel Baena allowed a Zorya forward to capitalise and slot the ball into the net, giving the Ukrainian side an early lead.
Wisła responded by pressing their opponents down the flanks, but their efforts initially bore no fruit. The 16th minute saw Budkivskiy strike the crossbar, providing a scare for goalkeeper Kacper Broda. Baena then embarked on a surging run but was outpaced by a Zorya defender before he could pull the trigger.
As the half progressed, Wisła continued probing. Rodado forced a save from the Zorya keeper, while Baena and Duarte showed flashes of creativity, though their moves often faltered around the edge of the box. In the 38th minute, Wisła’s persistence paid off. Rodado was brought down inside the penalty area, and the Spaniard confidently converted the resulting spot-kick to level the score. The first half ended 1-1.
Second-Half Momentum
Jop made wholesale changes during the interval, providing nearly all his players a chance to impress. The substitutions injected energy into the team, and Wisła seized control early in the second half. A long-range effort from Duda tested the Zorya keeper, but it was Łukasz Zwoliński who delivered the decisive blow in the 50th minute, calmly finishing after an excellent assist from Adrian Baniowski.
Wisła grew into the game, asserting their dominance and restricting Zorya’s attacking opportunities. The Ukrainians pushed for an equaliser, but Letkiewicz, who replaced Broda in goal, stood tall. Zorya thought they had scored when Kyrylo found the net, but the effort was ruled offside. Moments later, Letkiewicz produced a superb save to deny Kyrylo, while Petar’s strike narrowly missed the post.
As the match entered its closing stages, Zorya increased their intensity, forcing Wisła onto the defensive. The Polish side absorbed the pressure and sought to strike on the counterattack, but no further goals were added. Wisła held firm to claim a deserved 2-1 victory in their first Turkish outing.
Wisła Kraków - Zorya Luhansk 2:1 (1:1)
Goals for Wisła: Rodado (38’, pen), Zwoliński (50’)
Wisła Kraków: Broda (30’ Chichkan, 46’ Letkiewicz) – Jaroch (46’ Szot), Biedrzycki (46’ Uryga), Kutwa (46’ Skrobański), Kiakos (46’ Mikulec) – Kuziemka (46’ Sukiennicki), Igbekeme (46’ Duda) – Baena (46’ Kiss), Rodado (46’ Starzyński, 71’ Kromykh), Alfaro (46’ Baniowski) – Duarte (46’ Zwoliński)
Referee: Łukasz Kuźma
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