Russia round-up: Spartak lose thriller

Exploded bomb
Alania officials decided to go ahead with the game despite an explosion that ripped through a busy outdoor market in the north Ossetian capital on the morning of the game, killing seven people and injuring 36.

Seven-goal thriller
Spartak looked to be heading to victory when Russian international striker Vladimir Beschastnykh put them 3-2 ahead in the 57th minute, but Georgi Bazaev levelled ten minutes later and Alania's Georgian striker, Gia Imedadze, hit the winner six minutes from time after coming on as a substitute.

Leaky defence
Eighteen-year-old striker Dmitri Sychev, the league's leading scorer this season, and Ukrainian international Eduard Tsykhmeistruk, had scored less than a minute apart midway through the first half to give Spartak a 2-1 lead. However, Brazilian midfield player Paolo Emilio made it 2-2 with his second goal of the afternoon.

Spartak drop to fifth
Alania, the 1995 champions, move up to 12th place with eight points from nine matches after this victory. Spartak, who drop to fifth place on 14 points, have now conceded seven goals in their last two matches after going down 3-0 to city rivals CSKA Moscow a week ago.

Kechinov winner
Elsewhere, former Spartak striker Valeri Kechinov scored with eight minutes remaining to give third-placed FC Saturn a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Uralan Elista, while FC Zenit St. Petersburg, who beat Saturn 1-0 four days ago to reach the Russian Cup final, continued their recent good form with a well-deserved 2-0 win at Dinamo Moscow.

Dinamo drop
Dinamo have now lost six of their nine matches, dropping to second-bottom with seven points. Andrei Arshavin, who scored the extra time winner against Saturn, put Zenit in front in the 42nd minute and Russian international Alexsandr Kerzhakov doubled the lead two minutes later. Zenit move into seventh place on 12 points.

Kariaka on song
In another eventful encounter, Krylya Sovetov Samara came from behind to edge out FC Rostselmash Rostov-Na-Donu 3-2. Ghanaian forward Baba Adamu put the visitors in front, but Andriy Kariaka sprang the Rostselmash offside trap to slot the ball past Gennadi Tumilovich.

Adamu double
Four minutes after the break Robertas Poskus's precise shot from ten metres out made it 2-1 for the home side. Poskus then earned a penalty that was converted by Kariaka after 56 minutes. Rostselmash pushed forward trying to rescue a point, but Adamu's second goal - a header from Mikhail Osinov's free-kick after 65 minutes - was all they had to show for their efforts.

Drawing a blank
Elsewhere, FC Sokol Saratov and FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow fought out a goalless draw.