Zvezda celebrate Russian title and 'female Zidane'

Goran Aleksić paid tribute to the "Zidane of women's football" as WFC Zvezda 2005 ended the Russian Women's Premier Division four points clear at the summit.

The Perm side, Russian women's football's dominant power between 2007 and 2009, wrapped up their first title since 2009 with two games to spare. There was a sense of overdoing the celebrations as they lost 5-0 at home to runners-up FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk next time out, but Sunday's 1-0 win at FC Rossiyanka ensured a victorious end to the campaign.

It raises hopes of a return to the recent glory days, which ended with an appearance in the 2009 UEFA Women's Cup final. A 7-1 aggregate defeat by FCR 2001 Duisburg was disappointing, but the departure of coach Aleksandr Grigoryan and off-the-pitch problems hit the club harder.

They bounced back, finishing runners-up in 2012 and sealing a return to the UEFA Women's Champions League, before the arrival the following year of Aleksić, a Serbian who had worked with fellow men's FC Amkar Perm. Twelve months on and they have silverware again.

"We had fewe teams in the league this year but more competition," Aleksić said. "Some clubs have bigger budgets but we were able to defeat them and become champions. We conceded the fewest number of goals in the league and scored more than any other team. "I don't like to single out individual players but I must give credit to Daryna Apanaschenko. She's the [Zinédine] Zidane of women's football."

Fans of the UEFA Women's Champions League can judge for themselves next season.