Dynamo supporters were treated to yet another difficult match-up at Arena Khimki as the Moscovites took on Rostov. Though currently 12th in the league, the visitors are a formidable opponent this season, with new talent on the roster such as striker Danko Lazovic, on loan from Zenit as of this winter. Rostov coach Miodrag Bozovic has done great things with the team. He had a coaching stint at Dynamo a few years back and has since proven to be fairly consistent.

The Moscovites have been incredibly successful at home against Rostov, and today's result only confirmed their record. Dynamo did not have too good a start, trudging through the first half much like they did against Kuban last week. The World Cup Qualifiers took their toll on the team, with key players like Christian Noboa returning quite late to join in the pre-game prep, and Aleksandr Kokorin picking up an injury during the Russia-Brazil game. Striker Solomatin made his debut for the First Team, and though he didn't quite unlock his full potential, his presence set the stage for further competition within the starting eleven. Today's match was less about new faces and more of a blast from the past as veteran striker Kevin Kuranyi scored a classic far post header off the pitch from Dzsudzsak's corner delivery.

Rostov played a very physical game, making it even more difficult for the Moscovites to move forward. The home team still regained possession towards the end of the first half, maintaining it with class through the beginning of the next 45. Both teams had few chances however, making the game more oriented towards set pieces. The Moscovites lacked aggression on the ball, while Rostov was unable to finish most of its combinations. Holding up a 1:0 win and getting the three points is still an accomplishment for Dynamo, who are now in the top 5 of the Premier League Table.

Though some may say that Dynamo's main opponents are in the middle of the table, head coach Dan Petrescu begs to differ. "Every game is difficult," he pointed out at a post-match interview. "I think all ten teams have a chance, but I don't like to look at the table too much. When we had 0 points [after the first 5 games], I didn't look either. It's not good to look at the table now; I want to look at it at the end of the season." When asked about the possibility of a 3rd place finish, the ever-demanding Petrescu was realistic. "We have to not ask many things," he said. "The first and most important thing is to be in a position [to qualify for a European tournament]." Rostov's Miodrag Bozovic predicted a fifth place finish for his former club and praised Dynamo's defense in today's game, but also noted the lack of Russian international Aleksandr Kokorin on the pitch. "[The game] would have been a completely different story," said the Montenegrin specialist.

The Moscovites remain unbeaten in the 2nd leg of the RPL, though they recently lost their friendly against FC Khimki. They currently have an 8-game unbeaten streak in both legs of the championship.

Russian Premier League - Matchweek 22
Saturday, March 30, 2013, 10:30am ET

Dynamo Moscow vs Rostov - 1:0 (1:0)
Venue: Arena Khimki
Referee: Aleksei Eskov (Moscow)
Assistant Referees: Aleksei Vorontsov (Yaroslavl), Aleksei Lunev (Novosibirsk)
Goals:
(27') 1:0 Kevin Kuranyi (Asst. Balazs Dzsudzsak)

Full Time Stats:

Possession (%): 49:51
Shots (on target): 10 (3) :7 (2)
Corners: 4:5
Fouls: 16:20
Yellow Cards: 0:2
Red Cards: 0:0