Handball Club Saratov played host to Kaustik Volgograd in the Superliga on 31 August, but the visitors took all three points with a 29:30 win. Both sides sit on zero games and zero points in the table, which tells you nothing much about where they stand beyond this result. The draw brought them together early in what looks like a fresh campaign.
Kaustik found a way back into it after Saratov threatened to pull away at times. By then the visitors had seen enough to know they could not afford to camp in their own half. The line has barely moved between these two as far as the standings go.
Looking at recent form, Saratov have not won since February when they beat Krasnodar 33:25. Their last five outings include defeats to Dynamo Astrakhan, UOR No.2 Moscow, Zenit St Petersburg and CSKA Moscow. That run of results suggested they needed the points badly.
Kaustik, meanwhile, were more consistent. They drew with Rostov twice in June and beat Omsk 29:28 in March. A 38:2 victory over Epinal in March showed they can spring a surprise when the occasion demands it.
So the score sits at 29:30 and the goal difference swings one way. Neither side has shifted in the table yet — they are both still on zero points and zero games played. This was a match that decided little beyond who took the points today.