Tolyatti women opened their Superliga campaign with a comprehensive 38:19 victory over Izhevsk at home on Tuesday afternoon. The result came in the first matchday of the 2026-27 season, played in front of a modest crowd at the Tolyatti arena. By then, both sides were still listed at zero games in the standings, though this match would shift that.
The home side ran out comfortable winners from the start, with their attack finding space against an Izhevsk defence that looked disjointed. And here's the thing — the 19-goal margin told you everything about where these teams stood on paper. Tolyatti held their nerve throughout, never letting the visitors back into the contest.
Recent form suggests why the gap appeared so wide. Tolyatti had lost three of their last five meetings with AstraKhanka Women before beating them 25:23 in May, while Izhevsk's last outing was a 38:15 defeat to Luch Women. To be fair, the scoreline against Luch was steeper, but Izhevsk's previous results showed they struggled to contain opposition attacks.
The statistics, when they come, will likely show possession and shot conversion favouring the hosts. A result like this often means the chasing side ran out of legs before the final whistle. Izhevsk have nothing to lose now, but the work needed is considerable.
This win moves Tolyatti into third place in the provisional standings, ahead of the teams they faced in May. The goal difference of 19 goals is the sort of number that sticks in your mind when you're watching from the stands. For Izhevsk, the season has begun with a reality check.