Rostov – Akron: Preview
We outline the scenarios for the Rostov vs Akron match in the fifth round of the group stage of the 2026/27 Russian Cup. Both teams are in good form in the league and have surprised in the Cup, having beaten CSKA and Lokomotiv.
Key Moments
Rostov
1. Under Kirichenko, the team has not lost in the league, but their Cup debut was not successful.
The new management at Rostov turned to Dmitri Kirichenko after the decline in results under Jonathan Alba. The former striker has kept the team from conceding goals in three matches under his direction. Kirichenko started with a 1–0 victory over Akron, thanks to a brilliant penalty by Ivan Komarov. This was followed by a 0–0 draw with Baltika and a convincing 2–0 win over Lokomotiv, where the visitors failed to shoot at the goal. Rostov moved into the top half of the table. In the Cup, their first match was a 0–4 loss to CSKA, but under Alba they won three consecutive games, beating Akron in Samara 4–0.
2. Zhanov, Ignatov and Mukhin are injured, Kirichenko will rotate.
The Cup position and the density of the table will force the coach to rotate. The bench is not very long: Ilya Zhanov, Gherman Ignatov and Maksim Mukhin are injured. It is expected that goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov, who lost his starting spot, will get time. In defense, Daniil Khluchevich will be used, unlike many players who have not yet resumed their careers on the Don banks.
3. Rostov has won four of the last five direct encounters with Akron.
In recent years, the veterans of the Don and the young bold club from Tolyatti have been comparable rivals. In the brief history of encounters, Rostov has a slight edge: four wins to three. After the first two failures, the "yellow‑blues" have consistently beaten the rival. In the last five matches, Rostov has four wins, two of which were this season in the Cup and the league, both clean sheets, with different coaches. Unlike Akron, Rostov rarely uses inexperienced second‑division players, so they remain favorites.
Akron
1. Blagoevich has achieved results after a tough start.
This weekend, the Tulyacines left the transition‑match zone for the first time, beating Moscow’s "Dynamo" 3–1. It was not without luck, but the team is progressing. The start of the season was a total failure for Srđan Blagoevich: the Serbian tried to impose overly complex football on the team, and Akron suffered heavy defeats. Now everything is fine: in the last nine official matches, the Tulyacines have lost only once, to Rostov. In the Cup, the team became a threat to Moscow clubs, as in the 2022/23 season with Yevgeny Kaleshin’s explosion: they won at home against CSKA (1–0) and twice on penalties against Lokomotiv.
2. Possible serious squad reinforcement.
In the Cup, Akron usually uses very young players such as Denis Popenkov and Nikita Bazilevski, who rarely appear in the Premier League. However, the next match could be an exception. In the game against Dynamo, three key Tulyacine players received their fourth yellow card of the season and will rest: Vyacheslav Bardybaikin, Stefan Lonchar and Kristian Bistrovich. The best player of Akron according to the goal+pass metric, Jilson Benshimol, missed the last matches recovering from injury.
3. Akron’s defense improved, but remains imperfect.
The Tulyacines play combinatory football with a defensive exit on the flank. This sometimes leads to losses in their own half, even in simple situations that reflect the class of players, such as Yomar Roci’s error in the recent match in Makhachkala. Akron has improved significantly in defense and no longer tolerates big defeats, but has fewer clean sheets than Rostov: the team could not draw 0–0 in six of the last seven official matches. The "yellow‑blues" counter‑attack style is uncomfortable for the Tulyacines.
Approximate Formations
4-3-3 4-3-1 3-1
Yatimov 22 Semenchuk 78 Chistyakov 87 Langovich 26 Khluchevich 5 Mikhailov 21 Shantaliy 10 Komarov 73 Aznaurov 7 Ronaldo 91 Shamonin 88 Gudiyev 26 Eskoval 24 Nedelcharu 13 Bardybaikin 89 Popenkov 8 Bistrovich 81 Bazilevski 15 Lonchar 69 Dmitriev 91 Boldrev 99 Shumanskiy
Trend Forecasts
In five of the seven direct encounters, only one team scored. Only one will score – for 2.4. Rostov won four of the last five direct encounters. P1 – for 1.85.
Prediction
Rostov vs Akron 28.10.2026 19:15
With Dmitri Kirichenko, Rostov in the league stopped losing and conceding. The team moved into the top half of the table and, in the last round, did not allow Lokomotiv to score. The "yellow‑blues" started well in the Cup even under Jonathan Alba, so the big defeat against CSKA was not a disaster. Rostov won four of the last five direct encounters against Akron, including two this season.
Srđan Blagoevich achieved results after a tough start: this weekend Akron surprised Dynamo and left the transition‑match zone. Before the next match, a serious squad reinforcement is possible, despite rotation: Stefan Lonchar, Kristian Bistrovich and Vyacheslav Bardybaikin will miss the next league round. Akron improved its defense, but still makes mistakes. Rostov’s counter‑attack style is uncomfortable for the Tulyacines. Let’s assume another clean‑sheet win for the hosts.
Prediction: 1-0
