Krasnodar moved further clear at the top of the Superliga table with a 24-17 victory away at Dynamo Sungul on Thursday. The result extends the visitors' unbeaten run to four matches and leaves the hosts still searching for their first point of the campaign.
Krasnodar have now won every game they have played this season. Their last outing before this trip was a 32-29 win over Stavropol on Wednesday evening, and the pattern of tight finishes continues. They have not drawn a single match in the league so far.
Dynamo Sungul's record sits at three matches, all drawn, with zero points on the board. The side had shared points in both previous league games — 23-25 losses to Zenit Saint Petersburg and Permskie Medvedi — before this result broke that run.
And here's the thing, the gap at the summit is now eight points between first and twelfth. Krasnodar have played one more fixture than the hosts, but the difference in form is already clear. A win like this does not guarantee anything, but it certainly sets expectations.
The scoreline reflects the order of the table more than it reveals any surprise. Krasnodar held their nerve on the road, Dynamo Sungul could not find a way through. The table will look different on Monday.