Muscovites put a stay on Kazan’s victorious pace
Published 29 September, 2008, 19:23
Another busy few days in the Russian Premier League have seen Rubin's lead at the top reduced, following a 1-0 loss to FC Moscow. Hector Bracamonte’s goal was one of 21 scored in Russia over the weekend.
Lokomotiv 0-3 Zenit
The railway men were beaten at home by reigning champions Zenit who themselves kept their slim chances alive with the 3-0 win.
Zenit opened the scoring 18 minutes in. Number two came on the hour mark. And the 3-0 nil win was completed with 74 minutes on the clock.
Zenit move to sixth position – their highest place in the league table since mid-August.
Krilya Sovetov 3-3 Dynamo
Dynamo held a two-goal lead, but in the end they needed a 90th minute strike to level the game.
The visitors' second goal was a gift. Fyordor Smolov found the ball at his feet after a disastrous attempt at a pass by the Krilya goalkeeper. But the Samara side grabbed a lifeline right on half-time.
The second half then turned into the Jan Koller show. The big Czech headed home twice with his second coming on 85 minutes.
But a disaster was averted as Dynamo managed to sneak a point right at the death.
Blue and whites still are in the title chase but are now a full eight points behind Rubin.
CSKA 2-1 Tom
CSKA Moscow took ownership of the second spot from Dynamo following a come-from-behind win against FC Tom.
The visitors scored first with just half a dozen minutes on the clock after a great move finished by Anton Arkhipov.
52 minutes in, however, 18-year-old Alan Dzagoev netted Tom’s free kick to make it 1-1.
And the winner came with virtually the next attack. Evgeny Aldonin made it 2-1 for the hosts.
Shinnik 1-2 Spartak Moscow
Spartak Moscow secured three points following a 2-1 win over rock bottom Shinnik.
The first goal came 20 minutes in. Spartak winger Christian Maidana crossed the ball where his fellow Argentinian Clemente Rodriguez cleaned up Nikita Bazhenov's mess for 1-0.
Then 5 minutes before half time Maidana's free-kick found the head of Malik Fati, who sent it straight to the corner.
In the second half Shinnik did battle and managed to halve the difference, but 2-1 was the way it finished.
It was the first victory for new Danish manager Michael Laudrup in Russia.
Spartak remain in the top six.
Spartak Nalchik 2-2 Luch Energiya
Luch Energiya made the long journey west from Vladivostok to Nalchik, coming away with a point against Spartak for their troubles.
The action was packed in the second half with all four goals coming in a half-hour period.
Rustem Kalimullin might have been thinking he had clinched the winner for the Nalchik men on 79 minutes after all kinds of chaos in the Luch box. But 10 minutes later the equaliser arrived. Bosnian international Dario Damyanovic made it 2-2 at the Spartak stadium.
Rubin 0-1 FC Moscow
The Muscovites betrayed their lowly status by clinching a shock 1-0 victory.
Five minutes before the break Hector Bracamonte twisted his body just enough to get the necessary purchase on the cross. And the home side just couldn’t get back into it.
Despite the defeat Rubin still remain seven points in front with 7 games to go.
Saturn Ramenskoye 0-0 Amkar
The team who sat right behind Rubin for most of the season, Amkar, also suffered a setback to their title hopes. The perm side held to a scoreless draw by struggling Saturn.
Chances were scarce for Ramenskoye in the first half, but it was virtually all one-way Saturn traffic in the second. However, the pressure on the Amkar goal failed to pay off.
Terek 1-0 Khimki
In the weekend's final game, home side Terek Grozny edged Khimki in Chechnya.
Jean Bouli made the difference 62 minutes in. Terek are now up to 10th, while Moscow region side Khimki sink deeper into the relegation zone following the loss.
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