Motor Lublin vs GKS Katowice Match Recap - Oct 17, 2025

Katowice Unleashed: Shkurin, Galán Deliver Statement Win as GKS Rout Motor Lublin in Seven-Goal Showdown

A cool October evening at the Motor Lublin Arena saw fortunes swing, tempers flare, and—by the end—a struggling GKS Katowice side rise from the bottom rungs of Ekstraklasa with a resounding 5-2 victory over Motor Lublin. For the hosts, another turbulent chapter was written into a season that has veered between resilience and regrettable lapses, while Katowice discovered a potent attacking rhythm that had eluded them for much of their campaign.

From the outset, Katowice were intent on disrupting the script. Barely had the match settled into its early patterns when Borja Galán, the Spaniard whose intelligence on the ball has long teased supporters, swept the visitors in front in the ninth minute. Galán capitalized on Lublin’s slow defensive rotation, cutting inside from the left and finishing low past the outstretched arms of Kacper Roskosz—a goal that, early as it came, provided Katowice with a psychological foothold rarely enjoyed this season.

Yet, for all of Katowice’s early confidence, it was Motor who seized control as the first half wore on. The home crowd, restless after a recent string of five winless outings, found their voice midway through the half as Karol Czubak dragged Lublin level in the 34th minute. Czubak, appointed as Motor’s frontman of hope, lashed home following a well-worked move down the right. Four minutes later, with Katowice reeling, Czubak struck again—this time a deft header from a pinpoint cross that sent the Arena into raptures and Motor into a suddenly commanding position.

But fate, and discipline, would intervene before halftime. As the first half entered stoppage time, Jakub Łabojko—already a steadying force for Motor in recent draws—lunged late in midfield, earning a straight red that instantly shifted the calculus of the contest. Down to 10 men and with momentum slipping away, Lublin faced an uphill struggle they seemed ill-prepared to meet.

What followed was a ruthless display of opportunism from Katowice. Barely a minute into the second half, Adam Zreľák found himself unmarked at the back post and nodded in the equalizer, pouncing on defensive disarray fueled by Lublin’s numerical disadvantage. From there, the cracks in Motor’s organization only widened, exposing a side ill-equipped to absorb such adversity.

Ilia Shkurin, so often a nearly-man for Katowice in recent weeks, emerged as the architect of Motor’s unraveling. His two-goal spree in the final quarter-hour—first driving low into the net after a clever one-two at the top of the box in the 73rd minute, then capping a sweeping counterattack with a clinical finish nine minutes from time—turned what was a tense affair into a rout. Shkurin’s brace, bookending a performance of discipline and ambition, rewarded Katowice for their relentless second-half energy and condemned Motor to a sobering defeat.

The 5-2 scoreline—given late gloss by Katowice’s attacking conviction—flatters neither side, but it represents a seismic shift in the lower reaches of the Ekstraklasa table. Coming into the match parked at 16th with just eight points from 11 games, Katowice’s campaign had been defined by frustrating draws and blunt attacking displays. Friday’s victory not only closes the gap to a risk-averse Motor (14th, now with 11 points from 10 matches), but signals fresh life for a team that, until now, seemed destined for a season of attrition.

For Motor Lublin, the defeat extends a troubling sequence: they now count just two wins in their last 10 league outings. Recent games—draws carved from late goals, a goalless cup tie, and a defeat at Raków Częstochowa—have raised questions about the squad’s ability to impose its identity or protect slender leads. Czubak’s first-half double tonight, while individually impressive, was rendered moot by the team’s defensive collapse and Łabojko’s costly dismissal.

No recent head-to-head history suggested such a lopsided outcome; indeed, both sides entered as near equals in the table, their weaknesses well-matched. Katowice, however, found the sharper edge, and with it, a reason to believe in more than weekly survival.

Looking ahead, Motor Lublin must regroup quickly, the specter of a relegation battle growing with each missed opportunity. The loss of Łabojko to suspension will sting, particularly as the midfield’s balance remains fragile. Katowice, meanwhile, can take belief from a display both clinical and composed, with Galán and Shkurin offering glimpses of a partnership that could yet define their season.

Friday’s contest was not merely a shootout between two struggling teams; it was a clarifying moment in the fight for Ekstraklasa survival. Katowice, at least for tonight, have found their voice—and in doing so, have thrown down the gauntlet to every side looking anxiously over their shoulder.