Lokomotiv Kuban — Anadolu Efes Istanbul: 82:88, VTB Super Cup

Anadolu Efes Istanbul defeated Lokomotiv Kuban 88-82 in the VTB SuperCup on 20 September 2026, at what appears to be the opening fixture for both sides in the tournament.

The visitors held their nerve in the final moments to secure the result, with Kuban unable to find the breakthrough they needed despite a competitive effort throughout. The scoreline suggests a game decided by fine margins rather than any dramatic shift in momentum.

By then, the Turkish side had already shown they could compete at this level, having beaten UNICS Kazan 91-79 the previous day and ZENIT St Petersburg 100-76 on the 18th. Kuban, meanwhile, had come through their own warm-up fixtures against Igokea and Moscow's CSKA before this run.

And here's the thing — we had given a home win for Kuban with 78 per cent confidence. The match went another way, and it came down to Efes managing their possessions better in the closing stages when it mattered.

On the table, Kuban sit third after two games with zero points and zero wins, though that tells you little about where this season is heading. What it means is that Anadolu Efes have taken a statement win from the opening weekend and moved ahead in the standings.