ALMATY, Kazakhstan (Interstat) — Dinamo Stavropol opened its FNL 2 campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over Druzhba on Saturday, defying a pregame projection and overcoming a disciplined defensive effort from the visitors at Stadion Dinamo.

The match, a Week 5 fixture in Russia’s second division, was ultimately decided by a late surge from the home side after a first half dominated by stoppages and cautions.

Druzhba’s defensive approach was evident early, but it came at a cost. The visiting side accumulated four yellow cards in the first half alone, with bookings for Alikhan Malkanduev in the 27th minute, Asker Delok in the 36th, Islam Orazaev in the 40th and Radzhab Gusengadzhiev in first-half stoppage time. The physical tone prompted a response, as Dinamo Stavropol’s Artem Isik was also cautioned just after the halftime break.

The breakthrough finally came in the 52nd minute. Midfielder Luka Bagatelia, who stands 6 feet tall, provided the crucial touch, putting Dinamo Stavropol ahead 1-0 with his first goal of the young season. Bagatelia’s influence extended beyond the score sheet, as he logged 85 minutes of controlling play in the center of the pitch before being substituted.

Dinamo Stavropol doubled its lead later in the half, though the specific scorer of the second goal was not detailed in the available statistics. Facing a two-goal deficit, Druzhba managed to find a consolation goal to narrow the final margin to 2-1.

The latter stages of the match saw tempers flare again, with Dinamo Stavropol receiving three second-half yellow cards. Albert Kurachinov was booked in the 85th minute and Magomednabi Yagjaev was cautioned in the second minute of added time.

The result defied the pregame simulation from Interstat, which had projected a 1-0 victory for Druzhba. However, the organization’s ELO rating system had given Dinamo Stavropol a slight edge, forecasting a 51.30 percent probability of a home win.

With the victory, Dinamo Stavropol begins its FNL 2 season with a perfect record of one win and no losses, also moving to 1-0 across all competitions. Druzhba starts its campaign in the division with a loss, falling to 0-1 both in the FNL 2 and in all matches this season.

The game was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, a neutral venue, rather than in Stavropol itself.