Novosibirsk defeated Sochi 4-0 in a club friendly match on Friday, 15 August 2026. The visitors took all three points with a performance that showed no hesitation against the home side. Sochi failed to register a single goal despite playing at their own venue. The result leaves the hosts with plenty of work to do before the season starts.
Sochi's recent record has been difficult to read. They lost 3-1 at home to ЦСКА Москва on 3 February, then went down 3-0 against Локомотив Ярославль two days earlier. Their only wins in that period came against Кунлун, with a narrow 2-1 victory followed by a heavy 6-2 defeat. They have not played since late January.
Novosibirsk have been more active in recent weeks. On 13 August they lost 3-1 to Владивосток, but before that they had mixed results across January and February. A 5-2 win over Нижнекамск on 4 February stood out, as did a 3-2 victory against Барс Казань. They also beat Динамо Минск 4-1 on 29 January.
The difference between these two sides was clear from the final score. Sochi have not scored in their last three competitive matches, while Novosibirsk found the net in four of their five most recent outings. The visitors showed they could take games away from home, something the home side struggled to do in their own fixtures.
This friendly will not appear in any table, but it tells a story about current form. Sochi go into preparations with questions to answer, while Novosibirsk have momentum that could carry them forward. The 4-0 margin suggests a gap that cannot be ignored.