Spartak Moscow defeated Traktor Chelyabinsk 3:1 in the KHL on 18 September 2026. The visitors moved clear at the top while the hosts remain adrift in eleventh place after five games. We had backed the home side at 44 per cent confidence and that prediction did not come off. By then it was clear Traktor would struggle to find their rhythm.
Both teams sit on zero points in the standings, which tells you only that the season has barely begun. Spartak have played one more fixture than their opponents and hold a single win advantage. The gap between them is not yet meaningful, but the trajectory is already visible.
Traktor's recent form has been difficult. They lost 1:4 to Lokomotiv on 15 September, then 1:2 to Baris Kazan two days before that. A 4:3 win over Ekaterinburg on 7 September was their only bright spot in the last five matches. They have not managed to string victories together yet.
Spartak, by contrast, have been consistent. A 3:2 victory over Metallurg Magnitogorsk on 16 September followed an 8:0 demolition of Cherepovets on 12 September. They beat SKA Saint Petersburg 3:1 on 10 September and edged past CSKA 3:2 on 7 September. Only the 0:1 defeat to Nizhny Novgorod on 5 September breaks their run.
The prediction we made was based on home advantage and Traktor's occasional flashes, but the visitors simply outplayed them. And here's the thing — when a team is five wins from six, you do not expect them to falter away from home. Spartak took control early and never let go.
To be fair, the result does not change much in the table yet. Both sides are at zero points, and the season is barely underway. What it does show is that Spartak are building momentum while Traktor are still searching for answers.
