Almaz defeated Spartak 3:1 in the MHL on Sunday evening, moving further clear at the summit of the table. The visitors held their nerve after a shaky start and took control before the interval. Spartak had hoped to build momentum from their recent fixture rotation but found themselves chasing the game.
Almaz arrive at this point having won six of eight league matches. Their form has been consistent — two defeats among eight outings and they sit top with a comfortable margin. The away win against Spartak extends that advantage and puts pressure on those behind.
Spartak's recent run tells a different story. They have lost four of their last five league games, conceding eleven goals while scoring only seven. The 1:4 defeat to Lokomotiv on 29 September was the latest in a string of disappointing results. They paid for a sloppy opening against Almaz and never really got back into the contest.
We had backed the visitors at 66 per cent confidence before kick-off. The prediction came through as Almaz showed the quality we expected. They took the game by the throat and Spartak were left exposed for too long.
The result means Almaz now hold every card in the race for the top spot. Spartak drop further behind and face a difficult run of fixtures if they want to close the gap. The goal difference will matter in the final standings and Almaz have built a cushion that is hard to overturn.
