Stal Rzeszow climbed the Poland Liga 2 table with a determined 2-1 victory over Polonia Warszawa at Stadion Miejski w Rzeszowie on Saturday, overturning a first-half deficit and producing a strong response to secure all three points at home.

The match carried real historical weight, with Polonia Warszawa bringing their famous black-and-white stripes to south-eastern Poland, while Stal Rzeszow looked to continue building momentum in front of their own supporters. The visitors started brightly and took a deserved lead early in the match, setting the tone for a competitive and open contest.

Match Overview

Polonia controlled the opening exchanges through the creativity of their attacking midfielder Kacper Karasek, whose range of passing repeatedly carved through the middle third. It was Karasek who delivered the corner from which centre-back Paweł Tomczyk powered a header past the Stal goalkeeper on 22 minutes. The goal galvanized the away side, who came close to doubling their lead twice before the interval.

Stal Rzeszow responded well, however. Manager Marek Zub fought against a passive start, and his team emerged from the interval with renewed intent. The equalizer arrived in the 58th minute when Adrian Szczepański met a cross at the back post with a looping header that dropped perfectly inside the far corner. The stadium erupted, and Stal suddenly had the momentum.

Second-Half Turnaround

• 22' — Goal, Polonia: Tomczyk heads in from a Karasek corner for the early opener.
• 58' — Goal, Stal: Szczepański rises at the back post to restore parity with a fine looping header.
• 78' — Goal, Stal: Substitutes combine as Karol Gola finds Łukasz Boguski, whose slide-rule pass sets up Szczepański to drive home the winner.
• 90+5' — Red card: Polonia midfielder Tomczak sees a second yellow card after a lunge in midfield.

The winner came with 12 minutes remaining, and it was fitting that Stal's lively wide play created the chance. Szczepański, already the hero of the equalizer, showed composure inside the area to sweep home what proved to be the decisive goal. Polonia pressed late but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a well-drilled Stal back line that protected their narrow lead with discipline.

The victory gives Stal Rzeszow a healthy start to the campaign and underlines their credentials as a side capable of challenging for promotion from Liga 2. For Polonia Warszawa, the first defeat is a setback, yet their early-season form suggests there will be plenty more twists ahead in what remains a highly competitive division.