Super Zenit sit top in Russia

By Pavle Gognidze

Persistent sub-zero temperatures failed to stop the Russian season kicking off, with FC Zenit St. Petersburg leading the way with maximum points their opening two matches.

Great start
It is already Zenit's best start to a top-flight campaign and they are the only team with a 100 per cent. Zenit began with a 4-1 home victory against FC Dinamo Moskva and followed that with a 3-0 win at FC Alania Vladikavkaz. Last season's Premier-Liga top scorer, 18-goal Aleksandr Kerzhakov, spearheaded Zenit's early assault with a goal in each game, as well as one assist and earning his side a penalty.

CSKA success
However, Zenit's exploits have been eclipsed by those of PFC CSKA Moskva in the UEFA Cup. CSKA lie second with four points in the league but are also in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals after a 3-1 aggregate success against FK Partizan. If the Army Men can overcome AJ Auxerre in the last eight, they will become only the second Russian club to reach the semi-finals of the competition after FC Spartak Moksva in 1996/97.

European joy
CSKA's knockout-round victories against Partizan and SL Benfica have resulted in Russia being awarded a second UEFA Champions League qualifying spot for the 2006/07 season, after the country rose to 15th position in the UEFA rankings.

Champions stutter
Meanwhile, champions FC Lokomotiv Moskva are level on four points with CSKA, FC Moskva and FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast in the Premier-Liga. Lokomotiv began their title defence with a 2-0 home win against FC Tom Tomsk before drawing 0-0 at home to Moskva.

Titov returns
Having lost their season-opener to the latter side, Spartak received a boost with the return of captain Yegor Titov after a one-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. Titov marked his comeback in a 3-0 triumph against FC Rubin Kazan by scoring his 69th and 70th goals for the club to become their all-time leading scorer.