Football. Pogoń defeated Motor. Five goals were scored in the match.

Photo: Stanisław Zyblewski

Pogoń Szczecin - Motor Lublin 4:1 (2:1).

Goals: 0:1 Mathieu Scalet (9), 1:1 Marian Huja (15-headers), 2:1 Efthymis Koulouris (41), 3:1 Fredrik Ulvestad (49), 4:1 Efthymis Koulouris (88).

Yellow card - Pogoń Szczecin: Paul Mukairu, Leonardo Koutris. Motor Lublin: Arkadiusz Najemski.

Referee: Patryk Gryckiewicz (Toruń). Viewers: 19,816.

Pogoń Szczecin: Valentin Cojocaru (75. Krzysztof Kamiński) - Linus Wahlqvist, Danijel Loncar, Marian Huja, Leonardo Koutris (63. Leo Borges) - Paul Mukairu, Adrian Przyborek (89. Kacper Smoliński), Fredrik Ulvestad, Jose Pozo (63. Mor N'Diaye), Kamil Grosicki (75. Musa Juwara) - Efthymis Koulouris.

Motor Lublin: Gasper Tratnik - Filip Wójcik (80. Paweł Stolarski), Arkadiusz Najemski, Herve Matthys, Krystian Palacz - Michał Król (74. Bradly van Hoeven), Jakub Łabojko (58. Sergi Samper), Mathieu Scalet (58. Ivo Rodrigues), Bartosz Wolski, Mbaye N'Diaye - Renat Dadashov (58. Karol Czubak).

***

The hero of the match was Efthymis Koulouris, the top scorer of the 2024/25 season. The Greek striker scored twice and once again leads the scoring charts, albeit jointly with two other players.

Last spring, Pogoń lost 2-0 in Radom to Radomiak and played Motor at home three days later. They won 3-0, extending their chances of reaching the league podium. History has a way of repeating itself. After a 5-1 defeat in Radom a week ago, "Portowcy" got a chance to redeem themselves against the Lublin team. And they won again by three goals.

The match's opening moments, however, didn't suggest the home side would defeat the visitors. Coach Mateusz Stolarski's men took the field with a tactic reminiscent of Pogoń's, namely high-pressing play. This benefited them, earning them the lead in the ninth minute. Mathieu Scalet attacked Valentin Cojocaru, who had the ball at his feet, outplayed the home Romanian goalkeeper, and rolled the ball into the net.

However, Lublin's joy lasted only six minutes, until Kamil Grosicki delivered a corner kick to the five-meter mark of the penalty area, and Marian Huja headed the ball into the net.

The visitors refused to give up and played an open game, with both teams having scoring opportunities. However, the home side was more effective.

Just before halftime, the top scorer in the previous season's top flight made his presence felt. Koulouris received a through ball from Adrian Przyborek just outside the penalty area, played with a pair of visiting defenders in the penalty area, and gave Pogoń the lead.

Just after the break, the hosts made it 3-1 thanks to a fine volley from Norwegian Fredrik Ulvestad, setting the tone for the match. While the visitors pushed for at least a goal, they were unable to break through Cojocaru, and then his substitute, Krzysztof Kamiński, who came on as a substitute before the break following an injury to the Romanian.

The hosts, too, refused to rest on their three-goal deficit, and just before the final whistle, they stung their opponents once again. Leo Borges raced down the left wing, played a pass to the front of the goal, and there it was, none other than Koulouris, who slotted the ball into the net and then triumphantly stood in goal with his arms spread wide, in front of his fanbase.

Coach Robert Kolendowicz gave five new players a chance to play in the match against Motor. They fulfilled the challenge, but the Szczecin coach still urges patience, repeating that "the old Pogoń is gone, and the new one is under construction."