Chornomorets Novorossiysk — Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk : Match Preview and Prediction for October 20,2025

Chornomorets Novorossiysk seems to be struggling with their game lately. The team from Novorossiysk recently suffered a 0-2 defeat to Rotor in the domestic league, followed by a 1-2 loss to Kuban Holding in the national cup. While Vadim Evseev is capable of orchestrating strong performances, it’s evident that the squad depth is limited, and sometimes there aren’t enough players to fully realize their potential. The club is clearly facing defensive issues at the moment, and their attack has also stopped delivering when it counts. Although they are generally considered a resilient mid-table team capable of snatching points from any opponent, this particular challenge might prove too tough to crack.

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk has increasingly demonstrated strong results. Kirill Novikov’s team secured victories in 5 out of their last 7 matches. While they suffered a 2-3 defeat to Chaika in the domestic league, they redeemed themselves in the national cup against Shinnik, winning 2-1 after a penalty shootout. It’s crucial to note that Neftekhimik performs well away from home, having managed to earn points in 4 out of their last 5 away games. Moreover, the club has conceded only 4 goals away from home, which is the best record among their competitors. I believe the coaching staff understands that an open approach against Chornomorets could be too risky, so they are likely to set up a solid defense, adopting a ‘parking the bus’ strategy.