Zenit topples CSKA from top of Premier League

A late brace from Danny helped Zenit go top of the Russian Premier League after the St. Petersburg side came from two goals down to triumph 3-2 at Rubin.

Rubin 2-3 Zenit

The home side went ahead after five minutes thanks to a re-taken penalty by Bibras Natkho. The Israeli midfielder made no fuss about the second spot kick.

Then, midway through the first half, Zenit and Team Russia goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev was left rolling in pain after a clash and Sergey Kislyak seized the moment to blast home Rubin’s second, from long range. Malafeev was later substituted out.

But within five minutes, Roman Shirokov launched Zenit’s comeback. The midfielder finished off a Danko Lazovic free kick.

And within 18 second-half minutes, Danny struck twice to snatch the win for Zenit and give them a two-point buffer at the summit.

Aleksandr Kerzhakov helped along in the build-up for the match-winning goal.

Rostov 1-1 CSKA

CSKA missed the chance to join Zenit on top of the summit. The Armymen had to fight back to take a 1-1 draw at lowly Rostov.

Dmitry Kruglov put the home side ahead after just five minutes.

Leonid Slutsky’s side did finally manage to level an hour later. The league’s top scorer, Seydou Doumbia, capitalized on some woeful defending to save his side’s blushes.

The result, however, ensured CSKA slipped to third.

Dynamo Moscow 3-0 Amkar

In-form Dynamo Moscow made good use of CSKA’s slip-up to go second with a 3-0 home win over Amkar.

Just as he’d done the week before, Ukraine striker Andrey Voronin grabbed the opener after just 10 minutes following Kevin Kuranyi’s back-heeled cross.

Igor Semshov made it 2-0, 15 minutes after the interval, before Pavel Nyakhaychyk completed the drubbing with a header four minutes from time.

Spartak Moscow 3-0 Krylya Sovetov

Spartak Moscow trounced visiting Krylya Sovetov in the farewell match for their former talismanic captain, Andrey Tikhonov.

Krylya offered almost no resistance in this game. Netherlands midfielder Demy de Zeeuw scored his first goal for the red-whites after only three minutes, while 40-year-old Tikhonov was in the thick of it and just inches wide from adding what could have been his last hurrah.

Then Ireland star Aiden McGeady nabbed his first since his return from injury just before the half-hour mark, with Tikhonov being the happy provider. He went off the pitch to a standing ovation after the first half.

Then, with 10 minutes to go, summer signing Emmanuel E’menike wrapped up the scoring with his second goal in as many games.

Terek 0-4 Lokomotiv

Denis Glushakov fired home two first-half penalties, and Felipe Caicedo and Maicon added one each as Lokomotiv won 4-0 at Terek and leveled with Spartak Moscow in the standings.

Kuban 1-0 Anzhi

Gheorghe Bucur struck after 14 minutes to give Kuban a 1-0 lead over big-spending Anzhi. The Dagestani side had chances to earn at least a point, but failed to capitalize on them.

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