Cracovia Krakow Edged Out by Pafos FC in Pre-Season Friendly

In an entertaining International Club Friendly held on 3 July 2026, Polish side Cracovia Krakow fell to a 2–1 defeat at the hands of Cypriot club Pafos FC. The match, played behind closed doors as part of both teams' summer preparations, provided valuable minutes for players building fitness ahead of the new season.

Cracovia started brightly and took the lead midway through the first half. A well-worked move finished calmly gave the home crowd (the match was played at Cracovia's training ground) reason to cheer. However, Pafos responded before the break, equalizing with a powerful strike from outside the box. The second half saw Pafos seize control, and they grabbed the winner in the 70th minute.

Key Moments

• Cracovia's Opener: A precise through ball split the Pafos defense, and the forward slotted home.
• Pafos Equalizer: A speculative shot from 20 yards took a deflection and wrong-footed the Cracovia keeper.
• Decisive Goal: Pafos' second came from a corner, with a towering header meeting an unmarked run.

Pre-Season Context

For Cracovia Krakow, this friendly forms part of a series of test matches ahead of the upcoming Ekstraklasa season. The Polish outfit will look to tighten their defensive organization after conceding twice. Pafos FC, preparing for the Cypriot First Division, continued their unbeaten pre-season record with this win. Both sides will consider the workout useful despite the result.