Novosibirsk beat Avangard Omsk 5-2 in a club friendly on 26 August 2026. The visitors made the most of their time on the pitch, while the hosts appeared to be finding their rhythm again. By then, Avangard had not played a competitive match since early February.
Five goals against two is a statement of intent. Novosibirsk took control and held it, and Avangard could find no way back. The scoreline told the story of a team that had been working hard and one that had been waiting.
Avangard's last five results showed a side building momentum — four wins from five before this defeat. But those matches were all from February, and the gap between then and now meant something. To be fair, they may have been resting players, but the result suggested otherwise.
Novosibirsk came into this game with sharp form. They had beaten Sochi 4-0 just eleven days earlier, after a loss to Vladivostok. The pattern of results showed a team that could bounce back, and Avangard threw bodies in the way but could not stop the flow.
For Avangard, this was a match to assess rather than to win. They will use it to see what they have before the real season begins. Novosibirsk, meanwhile, proved they are ready to compete.
