Europa League Group K is nicely poised heading into matchday 2. All four teams in the group – CSKA Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb, Wolfsberger AC, and Feyenoord – sit on one point each.
Matchday 2 could put one of the four teams in the group into the driver’s seat to top the table and move onto the knockout stage.
CSKA Moscow claimed a 1-1 draw on Europa League matchday 1 versus Austria’s Wolfsberger AC. The Russians scored in the fifth minute through Adolfo Gaich. They conceded a penalty as halftime approached and Wolfsberger AC were on terms in the 42nd minute from a spot kick.
Dinamo Zagreb’s matchday 1 match versus Feyenoord ended nil-nil. They will hope to continue their unbeaten run versus CSKA Moscow on Thursday night. Dinamo Zagreb are six-games unbeaten in all competitions with four of those matches finishing in wins.
CSKA Moscow are four-matches unbeaten in all competitions. Three of those games, all in the Russian Premier League, ended in wins. The Horses are playing well domestically. They sit in second place in the Russian top-flight.
Twenty-four goals have been scored by CSKA Moscow in 12 Russian Premier League games. Manager Viktor Goncharenko will hope his side can find some of their domestic league goalscoring form on Thursday night at home versus Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo Zagreb are top of the First Division in Croatia. They are yet to taste defeat in eight games and have scored 23 goals while allowing eight to opponents. Dinamo Zagreb should keep Thursday night’s game close and prevent CSKA Moscow from running away with a win.
Goncharenko has three players on the injury list at CSKA Moscow. Vadim Karpov has a head injury that could keep him out of the game. Georgi Schennikov is recovering from a muscle issue and could return in time for the game.
Meanwhile, Kirill Nababkin is ruled out until April with a long-term knee injury. Goncharenko will hope his leading scorers, Nikola Vlasic and Konstantin Kuchaev, can break through Dinamo Zagreb’s backline. The duo has combined for 11 goals scored and six assisted in the Russian Premier League.
CSKA Moscow have far more quality in their side than Dinamo Zagreb. Although that quality did not show on matchday 1 versus Wolfsberger AC, they should rise to the occasion at home.
Thursday night’s game should be a low-scoring match with the Croatians keeping things close. CSKA Moscow should get a narrow win with just one goal separating the sides.