CSKA, Zenit get big wins as Anzhi beat Dinamo in RPL

CSKA Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg thrashed their opponents to steam ahead in the Russian Premier League over the weekend, while Anzhi Makhachkala secured a win over Dinamo Moscow that could prove crucial in the hunt for European places. A double strike from the league’s top goalscorer Seydou Doumbia helped leaders CSKA end their worst run of form since the start of the season and beat Tom Tomsk 3-0. Substitute Keisuke Honda crashed in a long-range free kick for the other goal in a win that takes CSKA to 45 points after 21 games. It was Tomsk’s fourth-straight defeat. Zenit midfielder Roman Shirokov also scored twice in a 5-2 drubbing of bottom club Krylya Sovietov Samara that kept the St. Petersburg club two points behind CSKA. Headers from Portuguese forward Danny and Belgium’s Nicolas Lombaerts, and a low strike from Ilshat Faizulin completed Zenit’s highest-scoring match of the season. Pavel Yakovlev scored both the hosts’ goals but gave away a penalty that was converted by Shirokov “We went into the match highly motivated and in the right mood; our opponents made us work but we were stronger and the result was fair,” Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti said. In Dagestan, Anzhi Makhachkala edged third-placed Dinamo Moscow 2-1 to climb to fourth, two points behind the Moscow club. Anzhi striker Andrei Prudnikov latched onto a long ball to fire under goalkeeper Anton Shunin for the winner. Mbark Boussoufa had put the hosts ahead, taking advantage of a defensive mix-up. Dinamo’s Andrei Voronin tapped in the equalizer. Anzhi are expected to complete the transfer of Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o this week. Rubin Kazan prepared for their Champions League playoff second leg against Lyon on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw at Amkar Perm. Rubin are 3-1 down from last week’s first leg in France, and injuries to key players Alan Kasayev and Oleg Kuzmin, both substituted during the draw in Perm, give coach Kurban Berdyev cause for concern. Rubin’s Solomon Kvirkvelia equalized six minutes from time after Andrei Sekretov had struck the opener. Rubin are joint-fifth with Spartak Moscow, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Spartak Nalchik, currently second from bottom. Elsewhere, Lokomotiv Moscow edged Krasnodar 1-0 courtesy of a curling shot from Denis Glushakov to stay in eighth position; Terek Grozny and Rostov drew 1-1; and Dan Petrescu’s FC Kuban crushed Volga 5-0 to rise to seventh, a point behind Rubin.