Tula Arsenal Suffers Defeat to Sokol, Extends Winless Streak to Seven Matches in the First League

Match Summary

Tula Arsenal's struggles in the First League continued on Saturday as they fell to Sokol Saratov 1-0 at the Lokomotiv Stadium. The lone goal of the match came in the 65th minute when Sokol forward Stanislav Prokofyev found the back of the net.

The defeat marked Arsenal's seventh consecutive match without a win in the league, leaving them in 15th place in the 18-team standings.

Arsenal's Struggles

Arsenal has endured a difficult season, winning just four of their 19 league matches. Their recent winless streak has seen them drop out of contention for promotion to the Russian Premier League.

One of the main reasons for Arsenal's struggles has been their poor defensive record. They have conceded 34 goals in 19 games, the third-worst defensive record in the league.

Sokol's Resurgence

In contrast to Arsenal's struggles, Sokol has enjoyed a resurgence in form under new manager Sergei Shtanyuk.

Saturday's victory was Sokol's third in their last five league matches, and they now sit in 10th place in the standings.

Player Performances

For Arsenal, goalkeeper Alexei Smirnov made several fine saves to keep his team in the match.

Sokol's Prokofyev was the match-winner, scoring his fifth goal of the season and leading the line with determination.

Conclusion

Arsenal's defeat to Sokol highlights their ongoing struggles in the First League. The team must find a way to improve their defensive record and start winning matches if they want to avoid relegation.

Sokol, on the other hand, will be hoping to continue their recent good form and climb further up the table in the second half of the season.