CSKA – Rostov

CSKA and Rostov will not be happy with more goals

On Saturday 3 June, CSKA take on Rostov in the central match of the final round. A win would guarantee the Army team second place. Valeriy Karpin's team will finish in third place if they score three points. In certain circumstances, a draw for the bronze medals will be enough for the southerners. Rostov came out to the finish line bleeding and tired. The team literally fell apart over the course of three games. Rostov suffered three very disappointing defeats with a combined score of 0-6. The situation was partially rectified in the game with Akhmat. Due to their character, the club got through to their unyielding rivals. Golenkov stood out. For the first time in his career he scored a double. Having said that, Rostov played in a home atmosphere in many ways. You can't expect stability from the club in its current form. Injuries have been an important factor in the lack of stability. Rostov lost their leading scorer Nikolay Komlichenko, while the team's best midfielder Daniil Utkin failed to find his form after an injury. The attacking potential has seriously diminished. The team stopped having a large number of chances from standard positions. The number of penalties, by which Rostov remain leaders in the league, has also diminished. CSKA also recorded a negative dynamic, but in the case of the Army Men, it is temporary. The team has lost its winning momentum after a frustrating defeat to Spartak. In the next meeting with Krasnodar, CSKA didn't look like themselves at all, although they could have taken three points after a player from the south had been sent off. Vladimir Fedotov admitted that the defeat by the Red-Whites was a kind of psychological blow. At the same time there is no global crisis. CSKA still has too many pluses. There is a solid game, a solid squad and great teamwork. A bonus is the absence of injuries to the club leaders. The Army Men remain the leaders in terms of points scored in 2023. In fact, the club is on a championship schedule in the second part of the season. In the last ten games, only in the scandalous clash with Spartak, Igor Akinfeev conceded more than one goal. CSKA is stronger than Rostov in all components. The club plays at home and can win a historic silver medal, proving their progress. The rivals played a cautious game in the first round. The clubs split the points without goals. Now it is also unlikely that the meeting will be very productive. Rostov simply do not have the resources for open football. The team will try to defend with great effort and catch rare chances. CSKA prefer minimum victories in such matches.