After three scoreless ties in some of last week's hottest match-ups, the RPL's 24th matchweek started off as a blank slate between Dynamo and CSKA in this year's 3rd Moscow derby. Though a somewhat disappointing result for both sides, especially Dynamo, who are in a 4-way race to finish in the top 4, the match had its own unique flavor. A packed Arena Khimki watched on as leaders CSKA stormed the pitch at the start and end of the first half. With Vagner Love suspended and Doumbia out of the line-up, goal-scoring opportunities were on the shoulders of Ahmed Musa. The Nigerian forward played out a few combinations with Tosic and Cauna, but only one attempt posed any danger to the net. The absence of the Army Men's top strikers seemed like an opportunity for the Dynamo to grab a much-needed 3 points. Petrescu's side had another advantage as well - the return of Kevin Kuranyi and Aleksandr Kokorin from injury offered a different dynamic in the line of attack. Jakob Jantscher fed balls to the veteran forward, culminating in the Dynamo's best attempt. Though somewhat less active and not in his best form, Kokorin provided some vital passes, getting the ball to the subbed-in Davydov in the second half. Petrescu's side had some effective counters, and keeping that in mind, CSKA's Slutsky thought "it was important to preserve the balance between attacking and defending" in order to get past the opposition.

Luke Wilkshire stops Ahmed Musa's attack. Photo: championat.com

Yet neither team's strikers were sharp enough to score, and sloppy passes were a recurring pattern on the pitch, especially for the Dynamo. Petrescu's side didn't make as much use of set pieces either and neglected giving Christian Noboa the chance to deliver them. CSKA gave away possession much too easily for the Premier League's top team and may have ended the myth that a team can still be productive with few options up front. The absence of Love and Doumbia in the attack was akin to Manchester United playing without Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie - there was no finishing touch, no added aggression on the ball that could make the difference between a shot on goal and a wide attempt that earns a corner at best. The game can best be described as "passive-aggressive", with bursts of action at the edge of the 18-yard box and occasional challenges, some of which went unnoticed.

The draw is disappointing for a derby that leaves one wanting more. Nevertheless, the fact remains: CSKA have been unable to score against Dynamo since March of last year, and haven't won against the blue-and-whites since September 2009. Dan Petrescu was not at all upset. "Judging by the chances [we created] in the game, we were closer to a win and probably deserved it," said the Romanian expert. "We played against the best defense in the championship." Dynamo's Alan Gatagov, who scored the only goal in yesterday's game against the CSKA youth, reinforced the manager's timeless philosophy. "Every game is like a final," he said. "We should have no regrets, and everyone just needs to keep moving forward."

Both the Army Men and the blue-and-whites will have to gird their loins for the quarter-finals of the Russian Cup in five days' time. Although the Cup gives the Army Men a shot at winning the double, Slutsky has expressed a greater concern over the upcoming fixture in the championship. CSKA play Spartak in yet another Moscow derby on April 21st. The Dynamo have a trickier feat ahead, taking on a slipping but motivated Anzhi in both tournaments.

Russian Premier League - 24th Matchweek
Friday, April 12, 2013, 12:00PM ET

Dynamo Moscow vs CSKA Moscow - 0:0 (0:0)
Venue: Arena Khimki
Referee: Aleksei Nikolaev

Halftime stats:
Goals: 0:0
Shots (on target): 6 (0) : 7 (3)
Possession (%): 51:49
Corners: 3:3
Offsides: 4:1
Subs: 0:0
Fouls: 5:3
Yellow cards: 0:0
Red cards: 0:0

Fulltime stats:
Goals: 0:0
Shots (on target): 12 (1) : 10 (4)
Possession (%): 51:49
Offsides: 6:3
Subs: 3:2
Fouls: 12:12
Yellow cards: 2:1
Red cards: 0:0

The third Moscow derby of 2013 is guaranteed to be unpredictable. The league's current front-runners, CSKA, will play Dynamo on their shared stadium, Arena Khimki, this Friday April 12. Petrescu's side is looking to further extend their unbeaten run in the league to an impressive 10 games after last week's tie with Amkar. Although some fans have been far from impressed with the recent fixtures, there is much to be said about the 5th place team that started the 1st leg of the season in 16th. The race is on for the RPL's top 4, so a win would be a crucial result for the Dynamo, who, despite losing the first five fixtures, are now contenders for a fourth and possibly a third place finish. Dynamo is vying with some of this season's toughest sides, including Rubin, Kuban, and the Moscovites' age-old rivals, Spartak. Then there's Anzhi, the club that's been slipping as of late, conceding plenty of goals to teams in the lower half of the table despite a period of consistent success. Hiddink's side seems to have lost its spark, and it's questionable whether they'll be able to get back on track in time to cinch the title. The issue isn't just the team itself, but the fact that many clubs in the middle and lower half of the table have progressed tremendously. Just like many of Manchester United's successful fixtures in the EPL can be partly attributed to the acquisition of Robin van Persie, several teams in the RPL have taken advantage of the transfer window to strengthen their lines of attack. With Vagner Love back from his loan and Doumbia back from injury, the Army Men have upstaged Anzhi, sending them to 3rd place and creating a rather impressive 13-point gap in the league table (even Zenit is a whole 11 points behind CSKA). However, both teams face several challenges going into this match-up. CSKA's Love is suspended for the next game, as is Dynamo's Kuranyi, who got his last yellow for dissent during the match at Amkar. It is questionable whether Dynamo's top-scorer Aleksandr Kokorin will be fit enough to return to the line-up. Though several players as well as supporters have noted the negative impact of his absence on the pitch in the last fixture, the wise among the bunch rightfully understand that he's not the team's magic wand. It is likely that Dan Petrescu will take advantage of the opportunity to showcase some younger talent in the starting eleven, continuing his trend of testing less experienced players to create some friendly competition within the squad.

Even without Vagner Love, Dynamo should not take the Army Men lightly. The blue-and-reds showcased a solid midfield in their game against Volga, with Swedish double Wernbloom and Elm getting rave reviews from the press (ironically, Elm's blunder helped Dzsudzsak net one in last year). The team has also done well with almost no strikers up front. Dynamo, however, have had few options in the line of attack themselves, but that factor has not prevented them from gaining points thus far. Goal-scoring responsibilities for either side are going to rest on the shoulders of the youth. Dynamo will most likely rely on the likes of 20-year-old Solomatin and Solovyov, although veteran striker Sergei Davydov may make an appearance.

There's no doubt that CSKA manager Leonid Slutsky clearly remembers his team's two losses to Petrescu's side in the 1st leg; Dynamo were 12 points behind they surprised the Army Men with a shocking 2-0 blow in the RPL's 10th Matchweek back in September. The blue-and-whites' growing consistency and current level of fitness are more than enough to compensate for the gap between the two sides. Dynamo will look to secure the fourth spot in the table, while CSKA will focus on expanding their gap with second-place Zenit St Petersburg.