Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Lokomotiv Moscow beat Rubin Kazan 3-1 in the evening of a double-header friendly on 18 July 2026, avenging a 3-1 morning defeat as both sides completed pre-season preparations.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Both teams elected to play the evening fixture behind closed doors at Lokomotiv's Bakovka training base, per the club's official website. The first half finished 1-1, with each side finding the net once. Lokomotiv stepped up after the interval, scoring twice in the second half to secure a 3-1 win, according to the club's match report.
The result meant the two RPL sides split their mini-series on the day. In the earlier match (11:00 MSK), Rubin had won 3-1 with a brace from Aleksandar Jukic and a goal from Nazmi Gripshi, while Nikita Saltykov scored for Lokomotiv — as reported by Championat.com.
The turning point
Lokomotiv's second-half response decided the evening match. After a balanced first half that ended 1-1, the hosts found another gear after the break, scoring twice to pull clear. The club's press service noted that "the railwaymen scored twice against the opponent in the second half" to seal the win.
Key performers
- Nikita Saltykov was Lokomotiv's most dangerous attacker across both matches. In the morning game, he scored the hosts' only goal — a close-range finish from Nenakhov's cross — and was a persistent threat on the left flank throughout, per the Lokomotiv match report.
- Aleksandar Jukic (Rubin) scored twice in the morning match (38', 88') and was the standout performer across the double-header, demonstrating his value to Rubin's midfield.
By the numbers — interpreted
The match was a pre-season friendly, so standard competitive statistics (xG, shots, possession) were not published by either club. The FCLM report noted that Lokomotiv "had more possession and looked for approaches to the opponent's box more often" in the early stages, but a midfield error led to Rubin's opening goal — a pattern that exposed the kind of transitional vulnerability both sides will aim to iron out before the RPL season begins.
What it means
This double-header concluded Lokomotiv's BetBoom summer training camp of 2026. The club now turns to competitive action: Lokomotiv open their 2026/27 RPL campaign at home to Akhmat Grozny on 26 July at RZD Arena, as confirmed by the club's press service.
Rubin, who finished 8th in the 2025/26 RPL with 43 points, return to Kazan to continue preparations. They host Krasnodar on 26 July in their season opener, per the club's published fixture calendar.
Lokomotiv finished 3rd in the 2025/26 RPL with 53 points, securing a European qualification spot.
Verdict
A useful double-header for both managers. Rubin's morning win showed their counter-attacking threat, while Lokomotiv's evening response — particularly the second-half acceleration — suggests the squad depth and fitness to compete at the top end of the table. The defensive errors that led to goals in both matches will be the focus of the final training week before the real business begins on 26 July.
Lokomotiv and Rubin have met 21 times — Lokomotiv won 10, Rubin won 5, with 6 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2016. Lokomotiv leads the head-to-head with 10 victories from 21 meetings. A combined 48 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.29 per match (29 for the home side, 19 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 7 matches (33%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 7 games (33%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 3–4 in 2024.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 19 Jul 2026