Rubin go through the gears to beat Zulte Waregem

FC Rubin Kazan extended their lead at the top of UEFA Europa League Group D with a record-breaking 4-0 victory against SV Zulte Waregem.

Rubin, 5-2 victors at NK Maribor on matchday one, have now won nine successive fixtures in Europe, since losing 3-1 at Chelsea FC in the quarter-finals of this competition last season. Indeed, the Russian side are 22 games unbeaten in European home games in Kazan, though they had to be patient before breaking down their Belgian visitors. A Frédéric Duplus own goal on the hour set them on their way, with Roman Eremenko, Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Bebras Natcho all subsequently finding the net to secure Rubin's biggest ever win in UEFA club competition.

Though Kurban Berdyev's team were good value for the victory, their first-half superiority reaped little more than Yann M'Vila's deflected effort, which left Sammy Bossut scrambling. However, they emerged with a newfound cutting edge after the interval, Gökdeniz Karadeniz and Iván Marcano both going close before Duplus inadvertently headed Natcho's corner past Bossut.

There was far greater craft about Rubin's second. Aleksandr Prudnikov sprayed the ball out to the left and Karadeniz squared to Eremenko, whose first-time finish found the bottom corner. Natcho's cheeky no-look pass then teed up Ryazantsev for Rubin's third, but the hosts saved the best until last. Natcho, influential throughout, curled a delightful free-kick past Bossut to round off the scoring. Rubin will continue their bid at Wigan Athletic FC on 24 October, when Zulte Waregem host Maribor.