Nosta and Sokol Saratov drew 1-1 after 120 minutes in the Cup Regions Path third round on 26 August 2026, before Nosta won the shootout. E. Borisov opened the scoring in the 58th minute, and A. Malakhov equalised for the visitors in the 75th. The match then went to penalties after neither side could break the deadlock in extra time.
And here's the thing about extra time — it often strips away the structure both teams had built. Sokol controlled possession at 62 per cent and registered seven shots on target to Nosta's four, but that dominance never translated into a winner. Nosta made do with 38 per cent of the ball, yet they were the ones who survived the tension.
The penalty shootout unfolded with a mix of composure and nerves. Borisov, who had already scored in regular time, buried his spot-kick alongside Pigaev, Kostin, Irshev and Malakhov — all five Nosta takers found the net. Sokol responded with goals from Ananyan, Anisimov, Sysoev and Shpitalnyi, but Bakhysh-Zade missed, and that single error ended the contest.
To be fair, Sokol created more chances throughout the match. They earned eight corners compared to Nosta's three, and their seven attempts on target showed they were pushing for a second goal. Nosta relied on fewer opportunities, with four shots on target and a more cautious approach that paid off when it mattered most.
By then, the pressure had shifted entirely to the penalty spot. Sokol's inability to convert all five attempts — and Nosta's perfect record from twelve yards — meant the tie was decided not by sustained attack, but by four or five moments that counted for everything.
Nosta advance to the next stage of the competition. The result caps a mixed period for the hosts, who lost 2-3 to Ilpar in August 2025 but have shown resilience when it counts. Sokol will need to regroup after falling short in what looked like a game they controlled for large spells.