Fiorentina - Jagiellonia Białystok: Mazurek brace puts visitors back in contention

Jagiellonia Białystok stunned Fiorentina early in the return leg, with Bartosz Mazurek scoring in the 23rd minute and again just before halftime to reduce a 0: 3 aggregate deficit. The rapid response shifts momentum in a tie that had seemed all but decided after last week’s home loss.

Fiorentina - Jagiellonia Białystok: Mazurek’s 23rd-minute opener and quick double

The breakthrough arrived in the 23rd minute when Afimico Pululu held up play near the penalty area and delivered a one-touch pass to Mazurek. The visiting forward saw his first shot saved, then followed up to convert the rebound into the net. That goal put Jagiellonia ahead in the match after they had fallen 0: 3 at home a week earlier, a result that left the Polish side effectively on the brink of elimination.

Just before the interval the 19-year-old Mazurek increased his tally. From the corner of the penalty area he struck a shot that deflected off an opponent and looped over the Fiorentina goalkeeper. That second goal marked Mazurek’s second for the club and his first in the Conference League. By halftime Jagiellonia had clawed two goals back, setting up a second half with markedly different stakes than those which existed at kickoff.

Afimico Pululu, the club message and Adrian Siemieniec’s reaction

Jagiellonia’s pre-match stance was clear: the team would not travel to Florence merely to go through the motions, but to fight. Fans answered that message, filling a specially prepared sector for the away supporters. The presence and play of Afimico Pululu in the opening stages directly produced the first goal, underscoring how costly his absence had been in the first-leg defeat. That connection — Pululu’s contribution leading to Mazurek’s opener — illustrates a simple cause-and-effect: the attacking combination that was missing previously helped create chances and tangible results when reintroduced.

Coach Adrian Siemieniec named his starting eleven for the match and later addressed the aftermath of the earlier 0: 3 loss. While the specifics of his response were not disclosed, the selection and early tactics yielded immediate impact on the scoreboard. The quick reply in Florence narrowed the aggregate margin to a more manageable level and altered the match dynamic coming out of halftime.

What makes this notable is the timing and source of Jagiellonia’s revival: a young forward with his first Conference League goal and a returning attacking presence combined to change a tie that many observers had assumed was settled after a heavy first-leg defeat. The sequence of events — swift goal, crowd backing, and a second just before the break — created measurable momentum headed into the second half.

Poland’s other continental participants saw movement in their own fixtures, with one domestic side improving the country’s UEFA standing after a midweek victory. That broader context highlights the immediate importance for Jagiellonia to sustain its revival; a single match swing can carry implications beyond just one tie when national coefficients and qualification pathways are at play.

For now, Jagiellonia’s players and staff have demonstrated that the margin from near-elimination can be trimmed quickly: two goals by a 19-year-old, one from a rebound and another deflection, reduced a three-goal deficit from the first leg. The remainder of the tie will hinge on whether that early spell of effectiveness can be converted into sustained pressure and further scoring opportunities in the second half.