Rubin scored their third win in a row in the Russian Premier League with a 2-0 away victory over Dynamo Moscow on Monday night.
Dynamo Moscow 0-2 Rubin
There were no goals in the first half, but Aleksandr Ryazanstev broke the deadlock ten minutes after half time.
And shortly afterwards, Israeli Bibras Nacho got the second with a stunning free kick.
Dynamo desperately tried to score at least one goal but Rubin’s keeper, Sergey Ryzhikov, was perfect on the night.
Rubin remain sixth in the table despite the win, while Dynamo drop to fourth.
Both teams are guaranteed to make the top eight at the end of the regular season.
There are just two more games left of that, then the table splits in two with teams in the top half continuing to play for another sixth months to contest the title and European places. Meanwhile, the bottom eight will fight to avoid relegation.
The extended season is a one-off to bring Russian football into line with the European calendar.
Spartak Nalchik 1-2 Lokomotiv Moscow
Lokomotiv are up to third after their 2-1 comeback win at Spartak Nalchik.
Loko found themselves a goal down by half time. Roman Konsadalov’s free kick came off the woodwork and into the path of Daniil Gridnev.
The Muscovites woke up in the second half and finished the match on the right side of a 2-1 scoreline. Denis Glushakov and Jan Durica were on the scoreboard for the visitors.
It means Loko remain unbeaten in the league in 12 games since manager Jose Caceiro took over in July this year.
As for the league’s table, Zenit lead the way but only six points separate the top four sides. The top seven have guaranteed a place in the championship post-season, while amazingly, big-spending Anzhi have so far failed to do so.
Roberto Carlos and Samuel Eto’o’s side currently hold eighth spot but could still lose that to Krasnodar with two games left.