Russia round-up: Lokomotiv stay top

A draw was enough to keep FC Lokomotiv Moscow at the top of the Russian Primera-Liga, but PFC CSKA Moscow are still very much in the frame after their 1-1 draw with FC Shinnik Yaroslavl. Lokomotiv’s goalless draw with FC Anzhi Makhachkala meant that they maintained their three-point lead at the top but CSKA have two games in hand on their city rivals.

'Inability to score'
Lokomotiv came closest to breaking the deadlock when Maxim Buznikin hit the bar with a direct free-kick in the 60th minute. This is Lokomotiv’s fourth 0-0 draw of the season and head coach Jurij Semin says he is not satisfied with the results: "Maybe the players feel somewhat uncertain. The main problem is our inability to score." Rolan Gusev put CSKA ahead in the 32nd-minute in their match against Shinnik but the lead was cancelled out by a Vladimir Skokov equaliser in the 73rd minute.

Defeats for bottom teams
At the other end of the table, the two bottom teams, FC Sokol Saratov and FC Rostselmash Rostov-na-Donu, both fared badly. Sokol succumbed to an injury-time winner by FC Saturn Moscow Region's Andrei Movsesian in a 2-1 defeat. Alexei Meleshin, whose corner led to the decisive goal, had put Saturn ahead after only 22 minutes before Petr Kachuro levelled at the start of the second half. Rostselmash were beaten when Besian Adzhinbhal struck seven minutes after the break to give Torpedo Moscow a 1-0 win. Rostelmash’s best chance went begging when Andrei Akopiants hit the post from an acute angle in the 42nd minute.