Match Overview and Betting Insights

The highly anticipated first leg of the 2025/26 FONBET Russian Cup RPL Path quarter-finals will see Dynamo Makhachkala host CSKA on November 5 at the Anzhi Arena in Kaspiysk. This comprehensive preview delves into the match, offering a detailed prediction, betting insights, and key statistics for the Dynamo Makhachkala vs CSKA encounter.

Dynamo Makhachkala Team Analysis

Khasanbi Bidzhiyev’s charges concluded their group stage campaign with a 1-3 defeat to Spartak. This crucial fixture against the Moscow side determined the top spot in Group C, which ultimately went to the capital club. It’s worth noting that this was Makhachkala’s first loss in regular time in the competition (they had 3 wins and 2 draws prior), though Dynamo did manage to score in every group stage match. Recall that last season, the club successfully navigated the 1/4 finals of the RPL Path.

Key Statistics for Dynamo Makhachkala

• Both teams scored in 5 of Makhachkala’s last Russian Cup matches.
• The team failed to win in regular time in 5 out of their last 6 home matches in this tournament (2 draws, 3 losses).
• In their last 5 home games in the national Cup, the club scored no more than one goal.

Dynamo Makhachkala Predicted Lineup (3-4-3)*

David Volk – Imadeddin Azzi, Andres Alarcon, Ilyas Akhmedov – Shamil Gadzhiev, Soslan Kagermzov, Abdulpasha Dzhabrailov, Mohammed Azzi – Hazem Mastouri, Radzhab Magomedov, Kirill Zinovich.

CSKA Team Analysis

The ‘Army Men’ successfully navigated the group stage without a single defeat in regular time (3 wins, 3 draws). Furthermore, the team boasts an impressive 8-match unbeaten run in the Russian Cup within 90 minutes. However, it’s worth noting that Fabio Celestini’s squad failed to keep a clean sheet in 4 of their 6 games, and with 5 goals conceded in total, they ranked second only to Lokomotiv (4). Despite this, they still managed to surpass the ‘Railwaymen’ in the overall standings. It’s also noteworthy that CSKA has reached the RPL Path semi-finals in three consecutive Russian Cup seasons.

Key Statistics for CSKA

• The team conceded no more than one goal in 7 of their last 8 Russian Cup matches.
• Away from home in this tournament, the ‘Army Men’ failed to win in regular time in 6 of their last 7 matches (5 draws, 1 loss).
• In 5 of their last 7 away matches in the national Cup, the club failed to score.

CSKA Predicted Lineup (4-4-2)*

Vladislav Torop – João Victor, Dzhamalutdin Abdulkadyrov, Moisés Barbosa, Artem Bandikyan – Rodrigo Villagra, Daniel Ruiz, Matija Popović, Lionel Verde – Gleb Popolitov, Artem Shumansky.

Match Prediction: Dynamo Makhachkala vs CSKA

The previous round’s encounter against Spartak marked the first time in Dynamo Makhachkala’s last nine Russian Cup matches that they conceded more than two goals. However, it’s plausible that Dynamo wasn’t overly concerned with their final group stage position, leading to an uncharacteristic defensive performance. In the upcoming match, I am confident that Khasanbi Bidzhiyev’s men will revert to their typically robust defensive display.

At home, Makhachkala has conceded no more than one goal in 9 of their last 11 official matches. Furthermore, Dynamo kept a clean sheet in 6 of those encounters. It’s also worth noting that in their last RPL fixture, the club scored more than one goal for the first time in their previous 13 home matches across the Premier League and Russian Cup.

CSKA tends to rotate their squad in the national Cup, which often impacts their offensive output. The ‘Army Men’ have managed to score just three goals in their last 7 away games in this tournament, failing to find the net in 5 of those matches. Therefore, I do not anticipate a goal-fest against a defensively solid Dynamo Makhachkala side.

Expert Betting Pick

Considering the defensive strengths and recent scoring patterns of both teams, my final prediction for this match is Total Goals Under 2.5.

Author: Alexey Tarabrin

*The starting lineup for each team is based on their last match in this tournament.