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Sochi host CSKA Moscow at the Fisht Olympic Stadium on Thursday in the Russian Premier League, looking to build on their victory last Sunday.
The Leopards bounced back from their defeat to Locomotiv Moscow with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal Tula away from home.
Mateo Cassierra was at the double, bringing his tally for the season to five in the league. He's now scored exactly a fourth of their total tally (20).
With eight wins from 13 games, they're now third in the table with 24 points, just one ahead of Moscow, who have the chance to climb above them if they win.
The Horses, who've lost fewer games than their Sochi rivals, have been a mean outfit in the league, conceding only 10 times in 13 games, the lowest in the division.
However, their seven-game winless run was ended by Rubin Kazan last weekend, as Mikhail Kostyukov scored a stoppage-time winner for the hosts to secure a 1-0 victory.
Sochi vs CSKA Moscow Head-To-Head
In their last four games, the sides have won once each.
CSKA Moscow, however, failed to beat Sochi in either of their league clashes last season, drawing 1-1 at home before losing 2-1 away in Sochi.
Sochi Form Guide (all competitions): L-W-W-L-W
CSKA Moscow Form Guide (all competitions): D-W-W-W-L
Sochi vs CSKA Moscow Team News
Sochi
The White-Blues won't be able to call upon the injured trio of Marko Dugandzic, Dmitri Vorobyev and Soslan Dzhanaev. Meanwhile, centre-back Danila Prokhin is unavailable through suspension.
Injured: Marko Dugandzic, Dmitri Vorobyev, Soslan Dzhanaev
Suspended: Danila Prokhin
Unavailable: None
CSKA Moscow
The capital club also have a few injury worries. Anton Zabolotnyi is out with a muscle injury and Hördur Magnússon is recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture.
Injured: Anton Zabolotnyi, Hördur Magnússon
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Sochi vs CSKA Moscow Predicted XI
Sochi (3-4-3): Nikolai Zabolotny; Mateo Barać, Rodrigao, Igor Yurganov; Timofei Margasov, Christian Noboa, Ibragim Tsallagov, Sergei Terekhov; Joãozinho, Mateo Cassierra, Artur Yusupov.
CSKA Moscow (4-4-2): Igor Akinfeev; Kirill Nababkin, Igor Diveyev, Jaka Bijol, Ivan Oblyakov; Mário Fernandes, Maksim Mukhin, Bakhtiyar Zaynutdinov, Chidera Ejuke; Anton Zabolotny, Fyodor Chalov.
Sochi vs CSKA Moscow Prediction
The game will be intense as the sides are separated by only a point and going all out in the match could be detrimental.
We expect both teams to approach the game cautiously and eventually settle for a share of the spoils in a low-scoring draw.
Prediction: Sochi 1-1 CSKA Moscow
