

The encounter between Podhale Nowy Targ and Warta Poznan in Poland's Liga 2 on 23 May 2026 will be remembered as a frenetic affair that ended in a 2‑2 stalemate. Played at the Stadion Miejski w Nowym Targu, the match had everything: early drama, a fightback, and late tension that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
Warta Poznan, a club with a proud history in Polish football, came into the match looking to push towards the upper half of the table. Podhale Nowy Targ, fighting for survival in the second tier, needed points desperately. The stakes gave the game an extra edge from the opening minute.
First Half: A Flurry of Goals
The match erupted inside the first twenty minutes. Warta Poznan struck first in the 12th minute through a well‑worked corner routine, with central defender Michał Zieliński rising highest to nod home. The away fans celebrated, but Podhale responded almost immediately. Just three minutes later, home striker Kacper Wójcicki pounced on a defensive miscommunication to slot the ball past the Warta goalkeeper and restore parity.
The back‑and‑forth continued. In the 32nd minute, Warta regained the lead via a swift counter‑attack. Winger Jakub Szymański beat his man on the left and delivered a low cross that was turned in by Łukasz Nowak. At 2‑1 to the visitors, it seemed Podhale’s resolve would be tested.
Second Half: Podhale Dig Deep
After the interval, Podhale Nowy Targ came out with renewed energy. They pressed higher and forced Warta into several errors. The equaliser arrived in the 67th minute. A long‑range effort from Bartosz Kowalski took a deflection off a Warta defender, looping over the keeper and into the net. The goal sparked wild scenes in the stands, as the home side sensed an opportunity to claim all three points.
The final twenty minutes saw both teams push for a winner. Warta had a goal disallowed for offside in the 81st minute, while Podhale hit the post through a free‑kick in stoppage time. In the end, a draw was a fair reflection of an open and competitive match.
Match Impact & Season Context
- Podhale Nowy Targ remained in the relegation scrap but gained a valuable point. Their fighting spirit will give them hope for the final weeks of the season.
- Warta Poznan will be frustrated not to have held on to their lead. The result kept them in mid‑table but dented their faint playoff hopes.
- The draw continued a trend of high‑scoring encounters between these two sides – their last three meetings have all produced at least four goals.
For the neutral, this was a classic Liga 2 contest: passionate, unpredictable, and full of character. Both sets of players left everything on the pitch, and the 2‑2 scoreline ultimately told the story of a game that neither side deserved to lose.