CSKA Moscow March Into The Champions League After Derby Day Demolition
The penultimate round of games in the RPL confirm all but one place for European football next season and leave five clubs teetering on the edge of relegation.
The Moscow derby played in Khimki this weekend sealed CSKA Moscow's automatic route into next season's UEFA Champions League, thanks to a 10-man comeback to the delight of the home fans and coach Leonid Slutsky.
The match between CSKA and Spartak Moscow provided the fans, who managed to get hold of tickets in the arena a third of the size of the Luzhniki stadium, with non-stop entertainment.
Spartak took the lead early on, Igor Akinfeev rushing off his line to block out the RPL's top scorer Welliton but the ball dropped kindly to fellow Brazilian Ibson, who curled the ball into the vacant far corner from the edge of the area.
Both sides had their chances but Spartak thought they had gained the upper hand not long into the second half. CSKA were adamant there was a handball in the box but David Semberas made his appeals too aggressively according to the referee and the defensive midfielder was shown a red card.
The 10 Army Men left on the pitch played as if there were 12 men in red and blue and it wasn't long before they got their reward. Sekou Oliseh launched one of his rockets from the right, which crashed off the bar and Keisuke Honda stooped low to head home the loose ball.
The turnaround was completed by a magical moment from Seydou Doumbia's quick feet. The Ivorian looked to have taken the ball too far but danced past one, then two defenders and blasted his shot past Andriy Dikan and a defender on the line to make it 2-1 to the hosts.
Former Espanyol defender Nicolas Pareja evened up the numbers with a nasty tackle on Vagner Love in the last minute of the ninety, but the Brazilian marksman still had time to get back to his feet, outpace the defence and complete a stunning comeback with a super finish.
After the match CSKA centre back Sergey Ignashevich spoke of his delight to the press.
"I am very proud of the team. Moving the game to Khimki worked in our favour with the fans behind us and almost the entire stadium stood in applause at the end," the defender told Championat.
"When we returned to the locker room, we waited for the result in Kazan and then we celebrated. I would like to thank those Zenit players who told us they would take points from Rubin when we played, they kept their professionalism even when they are already champions."
Zenit rotated much of the squad that had helped steer them to glory and it was two of these players drafted in, Viktor Fayzulin and Szablocs Huszti, who gave the champions a two-goal cushion. The latter has been linked with a move away from Zenit during the close season and his performance may well have attracted further suitors, as the Hungarian has played second fiddle to the impressive Danny this season.
Rubin restored some pride and perhaps should have gone on to take three points. Cesar Navas and Aleksei Medvedev pulling the game level in the second-half but Rubin were also denied a penalty.
"Whether there was contact or not matters little now," Ryazantsev commented honestly after the game. Zenit players, other than Sergey Semak a former Rubin player, didn't allow the press to question them at the conclusion of the game.
Elsewhere Spartak Nalchik let slip their European dream losing out to relegation threatened Amkar Perm. A bitterly cold afternoon didn't help the Southern club, who are still basking in sunshine, and Amkar's determination was greater than the visitors for the three points. Andrei Topchu restoring the Krasno Chernye's lead with a placed finish high into the net to make it 2-1. Then defender Dmitri Belorukov heading in a free-kick to make sure of the points.
Lokomotiv Moscow now have joined Spartak Moscow in the Europa League places after defeating out of form and luck Rostov. The Don club have picked up only two points from their last nine games and goals from Dmitri Sychev and Brazilian defender Rodolfo went a long way to saving what was almost a wasted season for Loko.
The tussle for survival down the bottom means mathmatically five teams are still at risk of playing first division football next season. An away win for Saturn against Anzhi taking them clear of the drop zone for another season.
Ex-Zenit player Sergei Vedeneyev however believes, unless something out of the ordinary happens in the final round it will be Alania who will be relegated along with Sibir.
"If nothing supernatural happens it will be Alania to leave the Premier League. Other teams around them and their coaches know how to grind out victories, see their mistakes and improve. For justice, a team like Alania should not be playing in the Premier League," Vedeneyev told Sports Weekend.