Nizhnevartovsk defeated Lokomotiv Izumrud 3:2 in the Russian Cup on 23 September 2026. The home side took all three points despite a shaky run of form, while the visitors made their competitive debut of the season without finding any rhythm. The result keeps Nizhnevartov in second place with six points from three games, though Lokomotiv's zero-point total is not yet meaningful — they have played nothing yet.
The scoreline tells a story of a team that refused to let momentum slip. Nizhnevartov had lost twice in their last five matches, including a 1:3 defeat to Barnoul a day earlier, and a loss to Kama before that. They needed to respond, and they did, closing out a tight contest against a Lokomotiv side that had shown flashes — a 3:0 win over Barnaul and a 3:2 victory against Stroitel Minsk — but also suffered heavy defeats to Tyumen and Chelyabinsk.
The prediction of a home win at 72 per cent confidence came true, and not through dominance. Nizhnevartov never got out of second gear early on, but they held firm when Lokomotiv pushed. One mistake ends it, and the visitors paid for theirs. The hosts saw the game out, which is what matters when you are fighting for position.
For Lokomotiv, the table currently reads third place with no games and no points, so there is nothing to analyse yet. The season has just started for them. For Nizhnevartov, the two wins from three matches keep them within reach of the leaders, though the gap remains undefined.
The result extends Lokomotiv's winless run in recent competitive matches — they have not won since their opening fixture against Barnaul. Nizhnevartov, meanwhile, bounce back from a loss to record a victory, which is the kind of response a team builds on.
