The Matchday 12 clash in the Russian Premier League between Lokomotiv and CSKA will be held on October 18 at the RZD Arena in Moscow. Lokomotiv vs. CSKA: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Lokomotiv
Mikhail Galaktionov's side triumphed over Dynamo Moscow (5-3) in the last round. The "Railwaymen" remain unbeaten in the current championship (6 wins, 5 draws), and only Lokomotiv has scored in every match this season. In total, the team has netted 26 goals – the best result in the league. However, the club has already conceded 16 goals, and among the top half of the standings, only Spartak has a worse record (17). Overall, the team occupies the 2nd spot in the standings.
- The "Railwaymen" have conceded in 9 of their last 10 Premier League matches.
- The club is unbeaten in 11 consecutive home games in the championship (5 wins, 6 draws).
- In 5 of their last 6 home games in this tournament, the team has scored at least two goals.
Predicted lineup for Lokomotiv (4-4-2)
Anton Mitryushkin – Alexander Silyanov, Lucas Fasson, Cesar Montes, Yegor Pogostnov – Dmitry Barinov, Alexey Batrakov, Artem Karpukas, Danil Prutsev – Dmitry Vorobyov, Alexander Rudenko.
Defender Cristian Ramirez is injured.
CSKA
The team emerged victorious over Spartak (3-2) in the last round. The "Army Men" secured their third consecutive victory in the championship, marking the second such streak for CSKA this season. Notably, Fabio Celestini's side has conceded in 9 of their last 10 RPL matches, yet the club is among the top 4 in the tournament for defensive reliability. Meanwhile, with 22 goals scored, the team is only behind Lokomotiv in terms of scoring. However, in the overall standings, CSKA is one point ahead of the "Railwaymen".
- The club has not lost in 24 of their last 25 Premier League matches (16 wins, 8 draws).
- In 7 of their last 8 away games in this tournament, the team has conceded exactly 1 or 2 goals.
- CSKA has scored at least one goal in 8 of their last 10 away matches in the championship.
Predicted lineup for CSKA (4-5-1)
Vladislav Torop – Matvey Lukin, Milan Gajic, Matvey Lukin, Joao Victor – Kirill Glebov, Ivan Oblyakov, Danil Krugovoy, Enrique Carmo, Matvey Kislyak – Alerandro.
Forward Tamerlan Musayev, midfielder Mateus Alves, defender Ramiro di Luciano, and goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev are injured. Defender Moises Barbosa will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation.
Referee
Ivan Abrosimov (Russia)
Matches – 5 (RPL, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 26;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.2;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 27;
Penalties – 20%.
Lokomotiv vs. CSKA: Match Prediction
Both opponents delivered high-scoring performances in the last round. I believe there are all the prerequisites for goals in their head-to-head clash. This is also supported by their recent Premier League meetings, where both teams scored in 6 of the last 8 encounters, as well as their current championship performances.
The "Railwaymen" have scored at least three goals for the fifth time in RPL 2025/26 in the last round. No defense has withstood the team's attack this season. Moreover, Lokomotiv's goal-scoring streak in the championship spans 17 matches. However, during this stretch, Mikhail Galaktionov's side has kept a clean sheet only 4 times.
CSKA also has no issues with scoring. The team has scored only 4 fewer goals than Lokomotiv. In terms of goals conceded, the "Army Men" look better, but this does not indicate a reliable defense. Fabio Celestini's side regularly allows goals, but usually, it is limited to one conceded. Lokomotiv's nearest opponent has been achieving this norm over 16 home matches in the RPL.
Considering these factors, my prediction: Both teams to score – yes
