The Matchday 21 clash in the Russian Premier League between Lokomotiv and Dynamo Moscow will take place on March 15 at the RZD Arena in Moscow. Lokomotiv vs. Dynamo Moscow: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Lokomotiv
The team recorded their third consecutive draw in the championship in the last round. The stalemate against Akhmat (1-1) extended the Railwaymen's winless streak in the RPL to five matches (3 draws, 2 losses). Such a prolonged period without a win in this tournament under Mikhail Galaktionov has not been seen before. However, it's worth noting that the club has scored in four matches during this period. With 37 points, the team sits in fifth place in the league standings.
- Both teams have scored in 5 of Lokomotiv's last 6 Premier League matches.
- Under Mikhail Galaktionov, the team has not lost in 19 of their last 21 home matches in the championship (13 wins, 6 draws).
- In 4 of their last 5 home matches in the RPL, the club has conceded no more than one goal.
Predicted lineup for Lokomotiv (4-5-1)
Ilya Lantratov – Maksim Nenakhov, Lucas Fasson, Cesar Montes, Nair Tiknizyan – Ilya Samoshnikov, Alexey Batrakov, Dmitry Barinov, Artem Timofeev, Sergey Pinyayev – Dmitry Vorobyov.
Midfielders Dmitry Barinov and Artem Karpukas are injured.
Dynamo Moscow
Marcel Licka's side thrashed Makhachkala's Dynamo 4-0 in the last round. The team is unbeaten in 9 RPL matches (5 wins, 4 draws), marking the second-longest unbeaten run in the current championship. Additionally, the club has scored in 14 consecutive Premier League games. Thanks to this, Moscow's Dynamo was the first to surpass the 40-goal mark in the championship. The team occupies the 4th position in the league table.
- Dynamo has conceded in 7 of their last 8 league matches.
- The team has scored first in 7 of their last 9 championship games.
- The club has not lost to the upcoming opponent in 9 of their last 10 head-to-head meetings in this tournament (5 wins, 4 draws).
Predicted lineup for Dynamo Moscow (4-3-3)
Igor Leshchuk – Juan Caceres, Dmitry Skopintsev, Alexander Kutitsky, Fabian Balbuena – Yegor Smelov, Jorge Carrascal, Daniil Fomin – El Mehdi Maukub, Artur Gomes, Yaroslav Gladyshev.
Defender Milan Maistorovic, midfielder Alexander Kutitsky, and forward Konstantin Tyukavin are injured.
Match Prediction for Lokomotiv vs. Dynamo
The rivals will meet for the fourth time this season. The previous match, held within the Russian Cup, lacked goals. However, this derby is usually high-scoring: both teams have found the net in 7 of the last 9 official head-to-head meetings. Judging by the teams' results, it won't be dull this time either.
Lokomotiv failed to score only against Krasnodar, which boasts the second-best defense in the championship, in their last 8 RPL matches. Meanwhile, the Railwaymen managed to keep a clean sheet only twice in this period. Dynamo, on the other hand, did not concede for the first time in 8 previous Premier League matches in the last round. As mentioned above, Marcel Licka's side has the longest active scoring streak in the tournament.
Both teams rank among the top three clubs in the championship for creating goal-scoring opportunities. With defensive issues in mind, this promises to be a high-scoring encounter. My prediction: Both teams to score – yes
