CSKA Moscow thumped Anzhi Makhachkala 5-3 in the Russian Premier League over the weekend, with Seydou Doumbia fulfilling a long-held ambition: outgunning his idol Samuel Eto’o.
League leaders Zenit St. Petersburg also won away, beating Rostov 3-1 to maintain a two-point gap at the top with two games remaining before the playoffs.
Doumbia netted a hat trick in Dagestan, canceling out Eto’o’s fourth minute tap-in. The Ivorian powered home a header, slotted a second under Anzhi goalkeeper Nukri Revishvili and bundled a third across the line with uncharacteristic clumsiness.
Alan Dzagoev and Vagner Love also chimed in to complete the demolition. Anzhi’s Czech striker Jan Holenda grabbed two late consolation goals for the hosts.
“If I’m honest, today I tried to outperform Samuel Eto’o. I admit that I’ve always been inspired by his game,” the 23-year-old Ivorian confessed after the game.
It was Eto’o’s fourth goal in seven games for the club.
The thrashing underlined how far Anzhi, owned by billionaire businessman Suleiman Kerimov, still have to come to join the Russian Premier League’s elite, let alone become one of Europe’s top clubs, as their veteran Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos has called for.
Anzhi have been as high as fourth this season but now hover uneasily in eighth, with three wins and four defeats in their last ten.
Zenit took their points tally to 57 thanks to a drilled shot into the top corner from Portuguese forward Danny; a penalty from Serbian defender Aleksandar Lukovic; and a header from striker Aleksandr Bukharov.
Rostov’s Argentinean striker Hector Bracamonte had a late strike deflect off a defender and loop over Vyacheslav Malafeev.
Spartak Moscow, meanwhile, thumped bottom side Tom Tomsk 4-0 to stay two points behind third-placed Dinamo Moscow, who host Rubin Kazan later Monday.
Spartak’s Brazilian striker Ari scored twice and defender Marek Suchy grabbed one _ all from aerial balls into the box that Tom couldn’t cope with. The other goal was a long-range drive from youth team player Dmitry Kayumov on his debut.
Kayumov is yet to train with the senior team, though Spartak coach Valery Karpin sought to blood the 19-year-old as a 62nd-minute substitute for Dutch midfielder Demy de Zeeuw.
Tom, who have now lost their last six straight games, also extended a remarkable goal drought to 11 matches.
Elsewhere, 13-placed Volga Nizhny Novgorod lost 2-0 at home to ninth-placed Krasnodar; FC Kuban, in sixth, drew 1-1 with 14th-placed Krylya Soviet Samara; and Terek Grozny beat Amkar Perm 1-0 in Stanislav Cherchesov’s first victory as Terek coach.
