Śląsk Wrocław stuns Raków Częstochowa with two late goals in 2-1 comeback win

Match background

Śląsk Wrocław returned to the Ekstraklasa this season after a one-year absence, having lost their opening match 2-1 at Górnik Zabrze despite taking an early lead. Coach Ante Šimundža made two changes for the visit of Raków Częstochowa, handing a debut to goalkeeper Karol Niemczycki and bringing Grzegorz Tomasiewicz into midfield. Raków, fourth last season, also began with a 2-1 home defeat to Wisła Płock but bounced back with a high-scoring win over Valletta in Conference League qualifying. They arrived in Wrocław directly from Malta, with manager Dawid Kroczek seeking a first league win.

First half: missed chances and pyrotechnics

The match was interrupted twice in the opening 20 minutes as Śląsk supporters set off large amounts of pyrotechnics, forcing referee Szymon Marciniak to halt play. When the smoke cleared, Raków created the better opportunities. In the 27th minute, Mahir Emreli's technical shot was parried by Niemczycki, and Michael Ameyaw's follow-up was blocked by Irodotos Christodoulou. A minute later, Piotr Samiec-Talar raced through on goal but his weak finish was easily gathered by Kacper Trelowski. Raków then squandered two golden chances: Tomasz Pieńko broke clear one-on-one in the 30th minute but missed the target, and deep into stoppage time Patryk Makuch headed wide from two metres out. The half ended goalless.

Second half: Emreli strikes first

Raków continued to press after the break and took the lead on the hour. A miscommunication between Christodoulou and Niemczycki allowed Emreli to steal possession, round the goalkeeper, and slot into an empty net. It was the Azerbaijani forward's second goal for the club, but his first in the league after scoring against Valletta in Europe. Śląsk responded with attacking intent, introducing Malaly Dembélé and Timossi Andersson just after the hour, but struggled to create clear openings until the final minutes. Jorge Yriarte was booked for the hosts, while Bogdan Racovitan and Dieudonne Debohi saw yellow for Raków.

Late drama: Śląsk's comeback

The home side's persistence paid off in the 86th minute. Samiec-Talar's cross was chested down by Dembélé, whose effort was saved by Trelowski, but Luka Marjanac pounced on the rebound to level. With the crowd of 22,841 roaring, Śląsk pushed for a winner and found it in the 90th minute. Samiec-Talar, the captain, finished off a flowing move to complete the turnaround and send the stadium into delirium. Some sources recorded the equaliser in the 87th minute, but the sequence of two late goals was decisive.

What it means

The result leaves Raków without a league win after two matches, their only victories this season coming in European competition. They now turn their attention to a Conference League tie against Swedish side Hammarby. Śląsk, meanwhile, celebrated their first top-flight success since promotion, showing resilience that will encourage Šimundža. For referee Marciniak, the match marked his return to domestic action following the World Cup.