From “they’ve got this” to 30:28. A semifinal that kept changing shape

A men’s semifinal in the Russian Super Cup is never a quiet assignment. Lokomotiv Novosibirsk vs Dynamo Moscow sounded like a big night on paper, and in practice it meant staying alert for every small story around the ball: the bench jumping up, a setter’s glance after a missed tempo, the coach’s hand signals that look like choreography. Dynamo opened confidently and took the first set 25–21. For a moment it felt like they’d settled the nerves early.

Lokomotiv didn’t agree with that script. The second set shifted the energy — faster transitions, sharper serving pressure, and rallies where defenders refused to let the point die. As a sports photographer in Saint Petersburg, I’m always hunting for that exact swing when the match stops being “good” and becomes unpredictable. Then came the third set: 25–13. Not just a lopsided score, but a stretch of dominance where every touch has a consequence and every celebration is louder than the previous one. You don’t have to manufacture drama — you just frame it.

The fourth set was the kind you remember because it’s tight in all the right ways. Dynamo regrouped and fought like a team that understands what a semifinal demands. Longer rallies, riskier choices, and that specific silence right before a crucial serve — even I caught myself holding my breath behind the camera. The finish landed at 30–28, and Lokomotiv closed the match 3–1 (21:25, 25:20, 25:13, 30:28), earning a spot in the final the next day. For match photography, it was a gift: momentum swings, raw emotion, and a clean narrative from start to finish.

See the full gallery with the best moments from Lokomotiv Novosibirsk vs Dynamo Moscow — Russian Super Cup 2025 semifinal here: Volleyball Super Cup. Lokomotiv (Movosibirsk) — Dynamo (Moscow).