PFK Sochi snatched all three points with a late goal in a 1–0 win over FK Rostov in RFPL regular-season action on 17 April 2026.
With the match at 0–0 heading into the final minutes, Kirill Zaika proved decisive. In the 89th minute, the Sochi midfielder found the net to break the deadlock, finishing a move set up by substitute Ruslan Magal. The strike put the visitors ahead 1–0, a lead they held through the final whistle.
The game was tightly contested, with Sochi showing resilience despite an early disciplinary setback. Defender Vyacheslav Litvinov was booked in just the 3rd minute, the first of four yellow cards shown to Sochi players. Zaika himself entered the referee’s book in the 21st minute, followed by cautions for Vladimir Ilyin (42’) and Marcelo Alves (63’).
Rostov looked for solutions from the bench in the second half. Konstantin Kuchaev made way for Mohammad Mohebi on 64 minutes, while a double change on 76 minutes saw David Semenchuk and Timur Suleimanov replaced by Oumar Sako and Andrey Langovich. Ronaldo was withdrawn late on for Ivan Komarov in the 84th minute as the hosts chased a goal that never came.
Sochi’s head coach turned to his substitutes earlier, with a triple change in the 71st minute that introduced François Kamano, Kirill Kravtsov and eventual assist provider Ruslan Magal. Zakhar Fedorov entered for Vladimir Ilyin in the 75th minute, and Sergey Volkov replaced Aleksandr Kovalenko at the start of stoppage time.
Detailed statistics such as shots, possession and full lineups were not available at the time of writing. However, the late winner keeps Sochi’s RFPL campaign very much alive, while Rostov are left to reflect on a narrow home defeat.
More information on the match can be found at Ballaxy’s match page, with additional context on the RFPL standings and the club profiles of FK Rostov and PFK Sochi.
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