Lokomotiv CSKA Moscow 2025-10-18 19:45 Betting tips

Lokomotiv is displaying consistent but not perfect form. The team remains unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions: two wins and three draws. In the league, the club is undefeated in all 11 matchdays, which is the best record in the league. However, their last three RPL games have seen two draws (2:2 with Krylya Sovetov and 1:1 with Akhmat) and one win (1:0 over Rubin). At home, Lokomotiv is also invincible: 3 wins and 2 draws with a goal difference of 13-7. The team shows high scoring efficiency, averaging 2.36 goals per game in the championship, but there are gaps in defense – only two clean sheets in 11 matchdays.

CSKA sits in first place, but their current results are less stable. The team's form in the last five matches: one win, two draws, and one defeat. Following a confident 3:1 away win over Sochi, they drew 1:1 with Baltika in the Russian Cup and lost 0:1 to Rostov in the league. The Army Men's away statistics are solid: 2 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat with a goal difference of 7-4. The team demonstrates reliable play on the road, conceding an average of 0.8 goals per match. Their overall scoring rate is lower than their opponent's – 2 goals per game – but their defense is better organized: 10 goals conceded compared to Lokomotiv's 16.

Head-to-head statistics point to a high-scoring and unpredictable rivalry. In the last four matches, the teams have scored 16 goals between them (an average of 4.0 per game). None of the last three RPL meetings have ended in a home win: two draws (2:2 and 3:3) and one away win for Lokomotiv (0:1). This season, the teams have already met in the Russian Cup, where CSKA secured a 2:1 victory at home. Both clubs show high goal-scoring numbers: Lokomotiv has scored 26 goals, CSKA – 22, placing them among the best attacking teams in the league.

Tactically, the match will pit two powerful attacks against not-always-reliable defenses. Lokomotiv will rely on their home invincibility and powerful forward line, but their tendency for draws in recent matchdays raises questions. CSKA, possessing a more disciplined defense, will look to counter-attack, utilizing the speed of their wide players. The key battle could be in central midfield, where the Army Men will try to neutralize the creative core of the home side's game. Lokomotiv is expected to have the initiative, but CSKA is extremely dangerous on quick transitions, as evidenced by their away record.

Considering Lokomotiv's home invincibility and their high scoring rate, along with CSKA's reliable away performances and their recent cup victory in the head-to-head clash, the most likely outcome appears to be a draw. Both teams possess powerful attacks but have defensive issues, which traditionally leads to goals at both ends in their encounters. Lokomotiv's current form, with three draws in five matches, and CSKA's stability away from home reinforce this probability. Recommended outcome: Draw. Probable score: 2:2.