Ufa — Neftekhimik : Match Preview and Prediction for October 25,2025

Ufa’s Current Form and Cup Progression

Despite being frequently labeled as underdogs, the team from the Bashkortostan capital is surprisingly performing better in their second season since returning from the Second League. This improvement isn’t solely due to a coaching change. While Ufa undoubtedly faces financial constraints, they are not a hopeless contender simply fighting to avoid relegation. They are actively engaged in the battle to maintain their league position.Although not always through dominant individual performances, Ufa has successfully advanced to the next round of the cup, first overcoming Fancom and then Yenisey. They are now set to play two consecutive home matches against Neftekhimik. While they rarely secure victories at home, with only two First League wins this season, they manage to score quite consistently. Their only defeat since mid-September came against Ural, indicating a recent run of resilient form.

Neftekhimik’s Tactical Approach and Recent Performance

Kirill Novikov’s football philosophy can largely be summarized as “hit and run.” Neftekhimik currently lacks significant tournament objectives; relegation is not a concern, but securing a spot in the top half of the table appears challenging. The team predominantly plays a rigid, direct style of football, often driven by a cautious approach that leads to numerous draws. Surprisingly, they recently achieved three consecutive victories, but this run was followed by a defeat to underdog Chaika and shared points with Chernomorets and Rotor.Overall, the visitors find themselves where their performance suggests they should be. They don’t showcase flashy football, but they are highly adept at “killing” games to secure results. Furthermore, Neftekhimik has suffered only one away defeat this season in the championship, highlighting their strong defensive resilience on the road.