ORENBURG (Interstat) — Neftyanik will host Vladimirskiy in a women’s professional basketball game Friday, with both clubs looking to shape early-season momentum.

Vladimirskiy enters at 1-1. It opened the season with a road loss to UMMC, falling 84-47, before returning home to beat Ivanovo 74-60 in its most recent outing. The victory gave Vladimirskiy its first win of the campaign and a split of its first two contests. The visitors will aim to build on that result and move above .500.

Neftyanik is 0-2 and still seeking its first victory. The home side opened with a 70-45 loss to Spartak Moscow, then dropped a close road game to Nadezhda 63-60 in its latest appearance. That three-point margin marked a significant improvement from the season opener, and Neftyanik will try to carry that competitiveness into Friday’s matchup. The team’s 60 points at Nadezhda were a season high, but its 45-point opener remains the lowest output of its two games.

The game pits a Vladimirskiy side that has shown it can score efficiently at home against a Neftyanik team searching for consistency on both ends. Vladimirskiy’s most recent performance featured a 14-point win, while Neftyanik has been limited offensively in two defeats. Neftyanik will need a stronger start and better execution in the closing minutes if it is to secure its first win. Vladimirskiy will look to avoid the road struggles that surfaced in its only away game.

For Vladimirskiy, the challenge will be replicating its recent form on the road. Its only road game this season resulted in a lopsided loss at UMMC, leaving the club with a 0-1 mark away from home. A win Friday would give Vladimirskiy a 2-1 record and a positive start before a busy stretch of games. The club has alternated losses and wins through two contests and will seek its first set of consecutive victories.

Neftyanik, meanwhile, will look to use home court to spark its season. The team has yet to hold an opponent under 63 points, while scoring 45 and 60 in its first two games. Improving offensive rhythm and reducing turnovers likely will be key against a Vladimirskiy defense that held Ivanovo to 60 points in its last outing. Neftyanik also will aim to close out a tight game after its three-point loss at Nadezhda.

Both teams are scheduled to continue their seasons after Friday, with Vladimirskiy next set to host MBA and Neftyanik set to visit Ivanovo. Both squads will seek a strong performance before their next scheduled games.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Neftyanik 61, Vladimirskiy 57.