Russia round-up: CSKA celebrate

PFC CSKA Moskva gained their first Russian Premier League title after a comfortable 3-0 victory against lowly SC Rotor Volgograd on Saturday.

Six-point cushion
While the only other challengers, FC Zenit St. Peterburg, were being held 0-0 at home by 2002 champions FC Lokomotiv Moskva, three goals in eight first-half minutes were proving enough for CSKA, whose lead stretched to six points with only one set of fixtures to go.

Gusev goal clinches win
Croatian striker Ivica Olic put CSKA ahead on a snow-covered pitch in the Dynamo stadium on 26 minutes and further goals from Denis Popov and Rolan Gusev ensured their team made up for losing in last season's championship play-off to Lokomotiv and won their first title since the final Soviet league in 1991. They now enter the second qualifying round of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League.

Semak delight
After the game, CSKA captain Sergei Semak, whose side led the table throughout the season, said: "We did not want to wait until the last match of the season to clinch the title. We wanted to win in Moscow in front of our fans who have supported us throughout the season."

UEFA Cup race
Zenit at least have the consolation of a UEFA Cup place as their draw confirmed a top-three finish. Lokomotiv may miss out, though, as they dropped to fourth, a point behind FC Rubin Kazan, who gained a 2-1 comeback win at relegation-threatened FC Torpedo-Metallurg Moskva. Héctor Bracamonte put Torpedo-Mettalurg into a third-minute lead, but MacBeth Sibaya equalised eleven minutes later and Ebrima Sillah struck a second-half winner.

Dinamo denied
FC Shinnik Yaroslavl are within three points of Rubin after a 4-1 home win against FC Rostov-na-Donu, while FC Dinamo Moskva and FC Saturn Ramenskoye are both out of the UEFA Cup running after suffering defeats. Dinamo went down to a Dmitri Kudryashov goal at FC Krylya Sovetov Samara, while Saturn lost 4-3 at FC Torpedo Moskva, a game the visitors trailed 3-0 after 22 minutes before a thwarted comeback.

Chernomorets relegated
Even the reappointment of coach Igor Gamula could not save FC Chernomorets Krasnodarskiy Kray from relegation after they lost 1-0 at FC Uralan Elista. That result took Uralan out of the relegation zone, two points ahead of Torpedo-Mettalurg. FC Spartak-Alania Vladikavkaz are also safe after beating Russian Cup winners FC Spartak Moskva 3-0.