Nart Cherkessk Surges Past Rostov II, Seizes Fifth Place in Promotion Chase with Resolute 3-1 Victory

By the time the warm October sun dipped behind the rugged Kabardino-Balkarian hills, the lights of Stadium Nart illuminated more than just a pivotal three points for Nart Cherkessk—they cast a spotlight on a team intent on rewriting the narrative of their Second League campaign. Nart’s 3-1 triumph over direct rivals Rostov II on Sunday not only flipped the script on their previous meeting but thrust them into the thick of the promotion race.

For sixty minutes, this was a contest defined as much by its tension as by its moments of brilliance—a match shaped irrevocably by an early flashpoint. In the 19th minute, with the match’s rhythm still settling, Rostov II were reduced to ten men after a rash challenge saw the referee reach decisively for his red card. Forced onto the back foot, Rostov II found themselves defending with urgency but, inevitably, with mounting desperation.

Nart Cherkessk, emboldened by their numerical advantage and roared on by a crowd keenly aware of the table’s calculus, pressed forward. The breakthrough arrived in the 26th minute: a quick interchange on the edge of the box, a darting run through retreating blue shirts, and a measured finish to the far post. The identity of the scorer was lost amid the euphoric celebration, but the goal’s significance was unmistakable—a lead snatched and momentum firmly shifted.

Yet, football rarely obeys the script. Rostov II, despite their disadvantage, responded after halftime with a tenacity that belied their depleted ranks. Their equalizer in the 53rd minute stemmed not from a complicated buildup but from simple determination: a loose ball in the area, a snapshot finish, and for a moment, hope rekindled on the visiting bench.

Nart’s response was less about tactical innovation than about persistence. With each attack, they probed the seams of Rostov II’s stretched formation, their urgency mounting as the match ticked toward its final act. Relief—and elation—finally arrived in the 82nd minute. A swift counterattack, exploiting the fatigue of their undermanned opponents, ended with a crisp strike that beat the outstretched goalkeeper and restored the hosts’ advantage. A third followed as full time approached, a late flourish that confirmed the outcome and ignited fresh dreams of ascent.

Sunday’s outcome rebalanced not only the scoreboard but the standings. Nart Cherkessk leapfrogged their rivals, settling into fifth place on 48 points, three clear of Rostov II and now just one rung below the promotion zone with five matches remaining. For a club that suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat in their previous encounter with Rostov II back in August, the reversal felt particularly sweet.

This victory continues Nart’s resurgence—a run that now includes four wins in their last five league outings. They have been building quietly but assuredly over the past month: a dramatic away win at Kuban Kholding, a hard-fought triumph over Pobeda, and only one stumble at Dinamo Stavropol punctuating their autumn rise. The cohesion and belief instilled during this stretch were evident in every corner won, every sliding tackle celebrated in front of their home faithful.

For Rostov II, this afternoon deepens an unwelcome trend. Their early-season rhythm—so potent in September’s five-goal demolition of Legion Dynamo and a convincing home win over Spartak Nalchik—has given way to inconsistency. Sunday marked their third defeat in four, and the frustration was palpable as their promising surge toward the top faltered in the face of adversity. The red card undoubtedly shaped the contest, but given their record—ten losses now from 29 matches—the questions will swirl about their resilience under pressure.

The day’s result also settles a score in the ongoing duel between these two ambitious squads. Back in August, it was Rostov II celebrating a slender 1-0 victory on home turf, a win that propelled them into the upper reaches of the table and left Nart Cherkessk searching for answers. Two months later, the roles have reversed: now it is Nart who appear poised for a late-season charge, their confidence burnished by a crucial head-to-head success.

With the league’s denouement approaching, the stakes for both teams could not be clearer. Nart Cherkessk, buoyed by growing belief and a surging attack, must now harness this momentum as the schedule tightens. The margin for error remains slim, but with their destiny newly in their own hands, dreams of a historic promotion no longer seem fanciful.

For Rostov II, reflection and regrouping are the orders of the day. Their place in the race is far from lost—three points adrift, every fixture now assumes the weight of a final. If they are to recover the verve of September, they must find fresh answers and a sharper edge before their rivals pull further away.

As the final whistle echoed off the Caucasus peaks and the supporters filed out into the clear Cherkessk night, the air buzzed with possibility. Nart’s campaign is alive and urgent again. And in the Second League’s Group 1, every point remains a prize to be fiercely contested, every match a fresh chapter in a season defined by its shifting fortunes.