Ufa vs Volga Ulyanovsk

Ufa host Volga Ulyanovsk nine rounds into the FNL season, with contrasting fortunes on the line. Ufa sit 5th-7th on 15 points, level with Ural and Spartak-Kostroma and within reach of leaders Nizhny Novgorod and Veles as they chase a route back to the top flight. Ulyanovsk sit down in 14th, already scrapping to pull clear of the bottom. Ufa's form has been streaky: a 3-1 win over Yenisey and a narrow away win at Neftekhimik sandwich a heavy 0-3 loss to Ural and draws with Spartak-Kostroma and KAMAZ. Shamil Isaev, the 22-year-old midfielder who scored Ufa's opening goal of the season, is one to watch. Ulyanovsk held leaders Nizhny Novgorod to a 2-2 draw through goals from Astemir Khashkulov and Andrey Nikitin, though a home defeat to Chelyabinsk shows their inconsistency. History favors the hosts, who lead the head-to-head 7-6 and won the reverse fixture 2-1 in March. Our prediction: 2-1