Lokomotiv Moscow extended their winless streak to nine matches this season after losing a penalty shootout against Akron Tolyatti in the Russian Cup.
Regular time in the third round group stage match ended in a 0-0 draw before Nazar Makeev scored the decisive penalty kick to secure the shootout victory for Akron.
The defeat leaves Lokomotiv with just two points from their opening three matches in the group stage of the tournament.
Lokomotiv Winless Streak Reaches Nine Matches
The result prolongs a difficult spell for Lokomotiv head coach Mikhail Galaktionov, whose side has now failed to win any of their past nine games across all competitions during the current campaign.
Lokomotiv Moscow, traditionally one of the dominant forces in Russian football, are known as the Red-Greens and play in the top tier of Russian football.
Galaktionov took charge of the Moscow club to steer them through domestic league and cup competitions, but his team has struggled to produce winning results in recent weeks.
Akron Tolyatti, a professional club based in the Samara region, held firm through 90 goalless minutes before Makeev converted the vital penalty in the shootout.
Group Stage Standings and Upcoming Schedule
Lokomotiv will have a chance to respond when they face Akron Tolyatti again in the next round of the Russian Cup.
The red-and-greens will host Akron at home on October 13, with kickoff scheduled for 18:00 Moscow time.
The Russian Cup group stage format awards points for both regular-time wins and shootout outcomes following drawn matches.
Lokomotiv currently have two points from three matches, placing pressure on the Moscow side as the group stage progresses toward the knockout rounds.
Andrey Mostovoy Joins Lokomotiv on Loan
Off the pitch, Lokomotiv recently strengthened their midfield options by taking Zenit Saint Petersburg midfielder Andrey Mostovoy on loan until the end of the season.
The midfielder has played three matches across all competitions so far this season, spending 80 minutes on the pitch without registering a goal or an assist.
During the summer transfer window, both Krasnodar and Moscow Dynamo expressed strong interest in signing Mostovoy, but Zenit refused to sell the player to those rival clubs.
Zenit instead agreed to send Mostovoy to Lokomotiv Moscow on a temporary loan deal for the remainder of the campaign.
Mostovoy has been with Zenit Saint Petersburg since the summer of 2019, establishing himself as a key member of the squad during his time in Saint Petersburg.
During his spell with Zenit, Mostovoy has played 209 matches in all competitions, scoring 42 goals and providing 23 assists.
