Litvinov claimed a 3:2 victory over Black Wings Linz in a club friendly match on 22 August 2026. The result caps a busy summer window for both sides, with each team having played several matches in preparation. And here's the thing — neither side was testing themselves against opposition of equal calibre recently.
Litvinov arrived in decent shape, having won four of their last five fixtures. They beat Khomutov 3:0 in their most recent outing on 13 August, then turned in a string of results against Jihlava — 5:0, 2:4, 5:1, and 3:1. To be fair, the mixed results against Jihlava suggest they were still finding their rhythm.
Black Wings Linz's preparation looked murkier. Their last five matches produced two wins and three heavy defeats. They lost 2:5 to Munich Red Bulls on 16 August, then suffered 1:5 and 1:2 against Villach, followed by a 1:3 loss to Graz 99. Only their 2:0 win over Ferencváros on 27 February offered any comfort.
By then, the gap between the sides was already clear in how they'd been performing. Litvinov's 3:2 scoreline reflects a game where they took their chances while Linz struggled to contain them. No statistics were released, but the result tells its own story — a team in form against one still searching for consistency.
The friendly leaves Litvinov with momentum heading into the new campaign. Linz, meanwhile, have work to do before their next competitive fixture. Three goals against two conceded isn't the worst outcome for either side, but the trajectory points in different directions.