Russia: Zenit keep title race alive

Second-placed FC Zenit St. Petersburg kept up the pressure on Russian first division leaders FC Spartak Moscow with a last-gasp 2-1 home win against SC Rotor Volgograd.

Hot pursuit
Alexandr Kerzhakov's injury-time winner on Sunday moved Zenit to within three points of Spartak who beat FC Anzhi Makhachkala 2-1 on Saturday. And with three matches left to play this season, Zenit still have a chance of overhauling the champions.

Under pressure
Alexandr Zernov put the pressure on Zenit with a goal after only eight minutes but Alexei Katalusky released Andrey Kobelev for the equaliser 13 minutes later. Rotor looked as if they had put a serious dent in Zenit's championship challenge until Kerzhakov's late intervention. With seconds remaining, the striker fired in Andrey Arshavin's cross at the back post.

Saturn success
FC Saturn Ramenkoye's 5-0 victory over FC Alania Vladikavkaz helped close the gap on fourth-placed FC Lokomotiv Moscow to two points. Alexei Saveliev, Alexey Melyoshin, and Sergey Rogachev ensured the home side had a 3-0 advantage by half-time. Two goals in the last two minutes of the game - from Prince Amoako and a Samir Muratovich penalty - completed the rout.

Torpedo triumph
FC Torpedo Moscow went fifth with a 3-1 home win over FC Fakel Voronezh. A Dmitri Viazmikin double and an Igor Semshov strike in the dying seconds did the damage, despite Vitali Kulev's 51st-minute reply for the visitors. CSKA Moscow had a narrow 2-1 win over relegation-threatened Chernomorets Novorossyisk.