Almaz Antey Youth 4–2 CSKA Moscow Reserves: Young Guns Lay Down a Marker

Almaz Antey's youth side produced one of the standout results of the Russian M-League round on 28 August 2026, beating CSKA Moscow's reserves 4–2. The scoreline is remarkable not only for its margin but for the way the hosts dismantled one of the most respected academy set-ups in the country.

The match, which kicked off at 18:00, was a showcase of fearless attacking football from Almaz Antey. While CSKA arrived with the pedigree of a club whose academy has produced a steady stream of first-team regulars, it was the St. Petersburg-based side who played with the greater conviction and energy from the very first whistle.

How the match swung

Almaz Antey opened the scoring inside the opening quarter of an hour, capitalising on a loose pass in the CSKA midfield. The goal visibly boosted the home side's confidence and they doubled their advantage shortly before the half-hour mark with a well-worked move that carved the visitors' defence open. CSKA responded in the right way just before the interval, pulling a goal back to set up a tense second period.

Any hopes of a CSKA comeback were extinguished early in the second half when Almaz Antey restored their two-goal cushion from a set piece, outjumping the visiting back line. The visitors did manage their second of the evening during a spell of sustained pressure, yet Almaz Antey sealed the contest with a fourth goal on the counter-attack, leaving no doubt about the deserving winners.

Key performers

• Almaz Antey's centre-forward — a constant nuisance for the CSKA defence, scoring twice and playing a part in the fourth.
• The home captain — marshalled the back line while also contributing an assist in a complete display of leadership.
• CSKA's attacking midfielder — the brightest spark for the visitors, involved in both of his side's goals.

What it means in the M-League

The victory is a significant statement for Almaz Antey in Russia's top youth competition. Results like this demonstrate that the club's academy can compete with the traditional powerhouses, while CSKA's reserves will want to produce a more disciplined defensive showing in their next outing. M-League challengers, as this performance showed, are rarely just the big-name academies.

For the neutral, the fixture was another reminder of why the M-League is such an important stepping stone for Russian football's next generation. The pace, intensity and attacking intent on show bode well for the development of both squads, with several players likely to be knocking on the door of senior opportunities in the near future.