Makhachkala vs CSKA Moscow: match prediction on 24 September 2026

CSKA Moscow win away at Makhachkala

CSKA Moscow are expected to win this Russian Cup fixture, with the model projecting a 2.7-goal output for the visitors against Makhachkala's 0.8.

Makhachkala have lost five in a row. They failed to win or draw, and have collected zero points from their last five matches, scoring just twice while conceding fifteen. The most recent three results all ended 0:3, with losses to Energostroy Moscow, Stroitel Minsk, and Tekstilshchik. The only match where they scored was a 2:3 home defeat to Volzhanin Kostroma on 10 September. The table position confirms this pattern: Makhachkala sit fourth with either zero or one point after two or three matches respectively.

CSKA's form is uneven but trending up. Three wins and two losses in their last five matches yield nine points, with ten goals scored and eight conceded. The 0:3 home loss to Stroitel Minsk on 23 September stands out as an anomaly in an otherwise productive run. The visitors have won 3:0 away against Energostroy Moscow on both 22 September and 9 September, and picked up a narrow 3:2 victory over Kama on 10 September. The away form is less convincing — the 1:3 defeat to Nizhnevartovsk on 11 September shows they can struggle on the road.

The most recent meeting on 1 February 2026 saw CSKA win 3:1 at Makhachkala's ground. The model projects 0% for a draw, 0% for both teams to score, and 0% for three-plus goals.

The table standings place CSKA Moscow in second or third position with three to five points after two or three matches, while Makhachkala remain fourth with zero or one point. The gap in quality is visible in the goal difference: CSKA's +2 against Makhachkala's -13.