MOSCOW, November 5 (R-Sport) - Alexei Sapogov scored one goal and made another to give FC Volga a rare victory in the Russian Premier League on Monday with a 2-0 win over newly promoted Alania Vladikavkaz.
Volga's third and biggest triumph of the season lifts them above Alania into 13th on 11 points.
Sapogov reacted quickest when Vitaly Gudiev in the Alania goal deflected Ilya Maximov's shot away to slam home the opener on 68 minutes.
The Russian striker turned provider in the 75th, playing in Maximov with a neat flick and seeing his teammate bury the ball in the far corner.
Volga defender Dmitry Aidov should have put the visiting side ahead just after half time, but got his positioning all wrong and headed over from point-blank range.
Soon after Alania defender Vladimir Khozin came a lot closer with a header from distance that rippled the side netting.
Sapogov hit the opener moments later, forcing the hosts to commit men forward.
It nearly paid dividends instantly as substitute Tamas Priskin volleyed toward goal only for Volga goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov to make a stunning reaction save.
But the visitors grabbed their second and sealed the points, extending Alania's miserable winless run to nine games.
At the top of the table, the weekend saw wins for top two CSKA Moscow and Anzhi Makhachkala. Leonid Slutsky's team beat nine-man Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1, while Guus Hiddink's men warmed up for Thursday's Europa League match with Liverpool by beating Terek Grozny 3-1.
On Saturday, FC Kuban beat Amkar Perm 3-0 to briefly go fourth before Spartak Moscow snatched that position with a 5-0 trouncing of Krylya Sovetov Samara.
Roman Shirokov scored the winner with the last touch of the game as Zenit St. Petersburg beat FC Rostov 2-1 on Friday, while Rubin Kazan downed Mordovia Saransk 3-1.
