Russia round-up: Lokomotiv out in front

FC Lokomotiv Moscow held out for a 3-2 victory at FC Rostselmash Mostov-na-Donu to open up a one-point lead over rivals CSKA Moscow at the top of the table.

Shock defeat
Elsewhere today, Russian champions FC Spartak Moscow suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat by premier league newcomers Uralan Elista but the main story came at the Rostselmash stadium.

Fell behind
Visitors Lokomotiv fell behind after 23 minutes when goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov could only parry Andrei Akopiants' shot from ten metres, and Vladimir Korytko tucked the rebound in from close range. The lead lasted only six minutes as Dmitri Loskov passed to Marat Izmailov who scored with a superb 15-metre shot into the bottom corner.

Brilliant goal
The home side regained the lead six minutes before the break as Maxim Demenko fired in from the left of the area past Ovchinnikov. But three minutes later the scores were level thanks to a brilliant goal by James Obiorah, who won the ball in struggle with a defender then rounded Tumilovich to score from an acute angle.

Loskov seals it
Lokomotiv took the lead for the first time in the match on 66 minutes after Ruslan Pimenov was brought down in the area and Dmitri Loskov calmly converted a spot-kick. The three points took Lokomotive to the top because CSKA Moscow suffered a shock defeat at lowly Anzhi Makhachkala.

Too little, too late
Anzhi took the lead through Kakhaber Mzhavanadze on 20 minutes, and doubled their advantage 13 minutes later when Ilia Tsymbalar scored. Viacheslav Daev scored for CSKA with 15 minutes remaining, but it was too little too late for the visitors to avoid their first defeat of the season.

Disappointing day
Spartak's disappointing day was the result of a Zurab Tsiklauri double for newly-promoted Uralan Elista. The visitors took the lead on nine minutes, when a long-range effort by Ruslan Adzhindzhal hit the post only for Zurab Tsiklauri to put it in on the rebound. Tsiklauri doubled his side's advantage two minutes after the restart when he fired in a superb 25-metre free-kick to seal the points.

Solitary strike
FC Saturn Ramenskoye beat Alania Vladikavkaz by a single goal thanks to a superb 20-metre free-kick by Samir Muratovic. The strike in the 24th minute was enough to keep the hosts on the heels of the league leaders.

Powerful free-kick
Elsewhere, Valeri Espiov scored eleven minutes from time to give SC Rotor Volgograd a 1-0 victory over FC Torpedo Moscow. Esipov scored with a powerful free-kick on 79 minutes for the home side, who then had Nikolai Olenikov sent-off for a second bookable offence with just two minutes left.

Comfortable victory
FC Shinnik Yaroslavl claimed a comfortable 4-2 victory at home against Krylya Sovetov Samara. The visitors took the lead in the tenth minute through Robertas Poshkus, but Alexei Bychkov levelled ten minutes later. Alexander Kulchiy struck after 35 minutes, and Sergei Grishin made it 3-1 when he scored just after the hour. Dmitri Khomukha put in the fourth goal with seven minutes remaining, and Botelio Gaucho scored a consolation in the 87th minute.

Easy win
A goal in each half was enough to give FC Zenit St. Petersburg a 2-0 victory over FC Sokol Saratov. Valeri Tsvetkov opened the scoring for the home side on 29 minutes, and Alexander Kerzhakov completed the scoring with 20 minutes left.