Pogoń Grod. Mazowiecki vs Ruch Chorzów Match Recap - Oct 17, 2025

Szwedzik Brace Rescues Point for Ruch in Wild Penalty-Filled Draw

PRUSZKÓW, Poland — The chaos arrived early and lingered late at Stadion Znicza on Friday, where Ruch Chorzów clawed back from a halftime deficit only to surrender a lead, settling for a 2-2 draw with Pogoń Grodzisk Mazowiecki in a match that swung on two penalties and three goals in a breathless 25-minute span.

Patryk Szwedzik's clinical double — scored in the final minute of the first half and three minutes into the second — turned what looked like another frustrating afternoon for Ruch into a statement of intent. But Rafał Adamski's 70th-minute penalty ensured the spoils would be shared, a result that keeps Pogoń entrenched in third place while leaving Ruch to wonder what might have been.

The hosts seized control almost immediately. Six minutes in, the referee pointed to the spot, and Pogoń converted coolly to set the tone for what would become a penalty-laden affair. The early goal seemed to validate their recent surge — three wins in four matches had lifted them into the promotion picture, and they appeared intent on extending that momentum against a Ruch side desperate to halt a three-match losing streak.

For 38 minutes, Pogoń's advantage held. They controlled possession, pressed high, and looked every bit the team occupying a top-three berth. Ruch, meanwhile, struggled to find their rhythm, their recent struggles — conceding 10 goals in those three consecutive defeats — threatening to manifest once more.

Then Szwedzik changed everything.

The forward has been a revelation in recent weeks, his equalizer arriving at the perfect moment to shift the psychological balance before halftime. Rather than retreating to the dressing room trailing, Ruch suddenly carried momentum. And Szwedzik wasted no time capitalizing. Just three minutes after the restart, he struck again, completing the turnaround with ruthless efficiency and giving Ruch their first lead of the afternoon.

The rapid-fire goals exposed Pogoń's vulnerability, a stark contrast to the defensive solidity that had characterized their 3-0 demolition of ŁKS Łódź on September 29. That clean sheet now seemed a distant memory as Ruch threatened to run away with the match.

But Pogoń's recent form hasn't been built on surrender. Twenty minutes after conceding the lead, they earned their second penalty of the match. Adamski stepped up and delivered, restoring parity at 2-2 and ensuring his team would extend their unbeaten run to four matches. The spot-kick was his third goal in his last two appearances, continuing a hot streak that has coincided with Pogoń's climb up the table.

The final 20 minutes produced chances for both sides but no winner. Ruch, who had looked so dangerous during their brief period in front, couldn't find the cutting edge that had produced back-to-back 2-1 victories over Chrobry Głogów and ŁKS Łódź in mid-September. Pogoń, meanwhile, seemed content to protect the point rather than risk losing two.

The draw does more for the hosts than the visitors. Pogoń remain firmly planted in third place with 22 points from 13 matches, their 6-4-3 record keeping them in the automatic promotion conversation. The point extends their unbeaten streak and maintains their cushion over the chasing pack, even if they couldn't secure the three points that would have further solidified their position.

For Ruch, the result represents progress, albeit modest. At 16 points and sitting in ninth place, they remain closer to the relegation picture than the promotion race. The point snapped their losing streak and demonstrated resilience — qualities that had been conspicuously absent during those three demoralizing defeats. Szwedzik's performance, in particular, offers hope. His brace brings his recent tally to three goals in four matches, a return to form that couldn't come at a better time.

Both teams now face crucial questions about consistency. Pogoń must determine whether they can sustain their push for promotion without the defensive reliability that defined their early-season success. Ruch, meanwhile, needs to discover whether Friday's second-half surge represents a genuine turning point or merely a fleeting glimpse of what could be. In a league where the margins between success and failure are razor-thin, this draw might ultimately be remembered as two points dropped or one point gained, depending on where each team finishes when the season reaches its conclusion.