Arsenal Tula vs Volga Ulyanovsk

Volga's second goal just before half-time was decisive. Conceding in the 39th minute meant Arsenal Tula faced a two-goal mountain at the break, and despite a full reset of outfield personnel after the interval, they never found a way past the Volga defence until the final minute. The 46th-minute mass substitution made for a disjointed second half on both sides, breaking any rhythm Arsenal Tula might have built.

A. Khabibullin (Volga Ulyanovsk) — Two composed finishes in the first half, both from open play. His brace proved the difference and earned him the player-of-the-match honours. He had no assists recorded, taking his chances directly.

K. Bogdanets (Arsenal Tula) — Introduced at half-time, the substitute scored the consolation goal in the 90th minute. He was one of six half-time changes Arsenal Tula used in an attempt to turn the game.

Volga Ulyanovsk defence — Held Arsenal Tula scoreless for 89 minutes despite six opposition substitutions designed to inject fresh legs. The only yellow card of the match went to a Volga player (73rd minute), indicating a physical but disciplined defensive display.

The match saw three goals — two before the break and one after — with Volga generating all their attacking threat in the first half. Both teams used six substitutions, typical of a pre-season friendly where fitness and rotation take priority over continuity. The pattern of the game suggests Volga were sharper in the opening 45 minutes, while Arsenal Tula grew into the contest after the interval but lacked the incision to break down a settled Volga defence until Bogdanets' late strike. The single yellow card reflects the friendly nature of the contest.

For Volga Ulyanovsk, this is a confidence-building result in their pre-season programme, extending their head-to-head advantage over Arsenal Tula to two wins in four meetings (with one draw). Arsenal Tula will take some encouragement from Bogdanets' late goal but will be concerned by a first half in which they failed to score and conceded twice. Both sides continue their Club Friendly schedules ahead of the 2026 competitive season. Their next fixtures were not published at the time of writing.

A pre-season friendly defined by Khabibullin's clinical first-half double and a mass half-time reshuffle by both managers. Volga Ulyanovsk earned a deserved win through superior sharpness in the opening period. Arsenal Tula's late consolation papered over a first 45 minutes where they were second best.