Arsenal Tula suffered a disappointing 0-1 home defeat to Volga Ulyanovsk in the Russian First League on March 9, 2026. A solitary goal from the visitors in the second half was enough to decide this encounter at the Arsenal Stadium, dealing a blow to Tula's ambitions near the top of the table. The home side dominated possession for large periods but struggled to break down a resolute Volga defense, with their final pass often letting them down. Against the run of play, Volga Ulyanovsk scored what proved to be the winner on a swift counter-attack, their forward finishing coolly past the onrushing goalkeeper. Arsenal Tula threw everything forward in search of an equalizer, including hitting the crossbar in stoppage time, but Volga's disciplined block secured a massive away victory. This result shook up the promotion race, with Arsenal Tula missing a chance to apply pressure on the leaders, while Volga Ulyanovsk's survival hopes received a significant boost with three hard-earned points.