The Matchday 1 clash in the MIR Russian Premier League between Dynamo Moscow and Baltika will take place on July 18 at the VTB Arena. Dynamo Moscow vs. Baltika: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Dynamo Moscow
The capital club finished last season in fifth place, a step back after winning bronze the previous year. However, with 61 goals scored, Dynamo was the most prolific team in the league. In the RPL in the 21st century, the Moscow side has only once posted more impressive numbers. The team ended last season with a 0-3 defeat to Krasnodar, which snapped a six-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League (4 wins, 2 draws) and a scoring streak that lasted 23 matches.
In the off-season, Valery Karpin took over as head coach. Due to a serious injury, Dynamo lost midfielder Luis Chavez for an extended period, and forwards Konstantin Tyukavin and Artur Gomes are still recovering. The Moscow side parted ways with Eliezer Dasa and Fabian Balbuena. Notable acquisitions include forward Ivan Sergeyev and defender Maksim Osipenko.
- Dynamo has conceded in 9 of their last 10 Premier League matches.
- At home in the RPL, the Moscow side is unbeaten in 9 matches, winning 7 of them.
- In 7 of their last 8 home games in this tournament, the club has scored at least two goals.
Predicted lineup for Dynamo Moscow (4-3-3)
Andrey Lunev – Maksim Osipenko, Nicolas Marichal, Diego Laxalt, Juan Caceres – Daniil Fomin, Bitello, Yegor Smelov – El-Mehdi Maukub, Denis Makarov, Yaroslav Gladyshev.
Baltika
The Kaliningrad side returned to the Premier League after finishing first in the previous FNL season. The team's success is closely linked to the figure of the head coach, who took charge of Baltika in September 2024. Under Andrey Talalaev, the club went on a 20-match unbeaten run in the First League (15 wins, 5 draws). In 13 matches during this stretch, the Kaliningrad team kept clean sheets. Throughout the season, Baltika conceded only 18 goals – the best record in the tournament.
The team's most expensive acquisitions in the off-season were three foreign players: midfielders Stefan Kovac, Ayman Murid, and forward Chinonso Offor. The Kaliningrad side parted ways with several non-core players and did not renew the contract with top scorer Vitaly Lisakovich.
- Baltika has lost 5 of their last 6 matches in the RPL (1 win).
- Both teams have scored in the last 8 meetings involving the Kaliningrad side in the Premier League.
- The club has conceded in 9 consecutive league games.
Predicted lineup for Baltika (4-5-1)
Maksim Borisko – Amar Mohhamad, Mingiyan Beveev, Kevin Andrade, Nathan Gassama – Sergey Pryakhin, Andrey Mendel, Daniil Utkin, Yuri Kovalev, Maksim Petrov – Brian Hill.
Referee
Yan Bobrovsky (Russia)
Matches – 9 (RPL, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 42;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.7;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 29;
Penalties – 44%.
Match Prediction: Dynamo Moscow vs. Baltika
Last season, Dynamo Moscow was one of the best home teams. They collected 35 points at home, second only to Krasnodar (36). The capital club achieved as many wins as the champions – 11. Additionally, Dynamo lost points in only 2 of their last 9 home games in the RPL. These results were largely due to their excellent finishing, scoring 25 goals in that span. Valery Karpin's squad continued their scoring exploits in friendly matches, netting 16 goals in 5 games.
Baltika performed excellently in the FNL, but it is clear that the higher-level tournament will present more challenges for the Kaliningrad side. In the 2023/24 season, the club lost 12 of 15 away matches in the Premier League (1 win, 2 draws). The defense, renowned for its reliability in the First League, will face much sterner tests. In two friendly matches against RPL teams, Andrey Talalaev's side conceded three goals.
My prediction: Dynamo to win and Total over 1.5 goals
