Rodina Moskva Rise in the Moscow Rain: Reyna’s Early Strike, Dyatlov’s Late Finish Power Hosts Past SKA-Khabarovsk and Into Seventh

On a soaked Moscow afternoon at Arena Khimki, Rodina Moskva seized their moment, bookending the match with precision and steel to secure a vital 2-0 victory over SKA-Khabarovsk. Yordy Reyna’s clinical finish inside ten minutes and Ilya Dyatlov’s stoppage-time coup delivered not just three points, but also a statement of intent from a side on the season’s cusp, vaulting Rodina to seventh in the First League table and pushing past their Eastern rivals by the slimmest of margins.

The tension between these two mid-table combatants—separated by only one point at kickoff and by 6,000 kilometers on the map—was palpable. Rodina entered the match unbeaten in three, buoyed by echoes of a comprehensive 3-0 cup win in Khabarovsk just weeks ago. The visitors, meanwhile, had momentum of their own, boasting consecutive league wins and a revitalized attack headlined by Dmitri Tsypchenko and Jacobo Alcalde Tellado.

Yet from the opening whistle, Rodina laid down a marker. The hosts pressed with intent and were rewarded almost instantly. In the 10th minute, a sweeping passage of play down the right flank saw Arshak Koryan thread a low cross beyond the flailing defenders. Reyna, a beacon of composure in the box, met the ball with a deft first-time finish, sliding it past goalkeeper Oleg Smirnov. The Peruvian’s fourth goal in as many matches underlined why manager Sergei Chikishev has made him an attacking centerpiece—a striker who marries industry with invention.

SKA-Khabarovsk responded with urgency, occasionally threatening through set pieces and the industry of Tellado. But a Rodina defense marshaled by captain Aleksandr Zuev proved disciplined and unyielding. The visitors’ best moment of the half, a swerving effort from Egor Noskov in the 32nd minute, forced a sharp save from Rodina keeper Sergey Revyakin, the first of several that would preserve the hosts' narrow lead.

Rodina might have doubled their advantage before halftime, with Koryan and Dyatlov both testing the SKA back line, yet wastefulness in the final third kept the contest within reach for the visitors. As the rain intensified after the interval, so did the stakes. SKA pressed higher, searching for a breakthrough that would ignite their trip west. Rodina, content to absorb pressure, lurked dangerously on the counter.

The match’s crucial turning point arrived not in a flash of attacking brilliance, but in the disciplined resistance and precise timing that has come to characterize Rodina’s recent run. As SKA-Khabarovsk threw numbers forward in the dying minutes, chasing parity, gaps appeared at the back. In the 90th minute, substitute Vladislav Bragin lost possession in midfield, springing a ruthless Rodina break. Koryan surged forward, drawing defenders before laying off to Ilya Dyatlov on the edge of the area. The midfielder, cool and clinical, rifled a low drive into the bottom corner to seal Rodina’s victory and spark celebrations among the drenched faithful.

For SKA-Khabarovsk, the final whistle echoed with frustration and a sense of déjà vu—not only had they failed to score for the second time in three weeks against Rodina, but the defensive frailties that haunted them in the Cup had resurfaced on league duty.

This result shuffles the First League’s congested mid-table, with Rodina leapfrogging SKA-Khabarovsk for seventh place. Now one point clear, Rodina move to 20 points after 13 games (5 wins, 5 draws, 3 losses), their upward momentum unmistakable since that heavy defeat at Chelyabinsk in September. For SKA-Khabarovsk, a run of two straight league wins is abruptly halted; their record slips to 5-4-4, and the hunt for consistency resumes.

Recent history between these clubs only adds bite to the result. Rodina’s 3-0 Cup triumph in Khabarovsk just over two weeks ago laid psychological ground for today’s display. The message from Chikishev’s side is increasingly clear: Rodina are not only comfortable on the biggest domestic stages, but increasingly adept at picking off the teams clustered around them.

Looking ahead, stakes sharpen for both camps. Rodina, now building a reputation as one of the division’s most balanced outfits, face a tricky run as autumn nights grow longer—and each point becomes increasingly precious in the fight for playoff positioning. SKA-Khabarovsk, meanwhile, must regroup and rediscover the attacking verve that powered their recent surge. With the table as tight as ever, one result can reshape ambitions—or reinforce doubts.

In Moscow, though, there was no doubt at the final whistle. Rodina Moskva, rising from the rain and roared on by their faithful, left Arena Khimki with more than just three points: they left with belief, a sense of direction, and a newfound edge over a direct league rival.