CSKA Moscow's hopes of catching Zenit St. Petersburg at the top of the Russian Premier League were dealt a severe blow on Sunday when they were beaten 1-0 at cross-town rivals Lokomotiv.
Zenit, who beat Tom Tomsk 2-0 on Saturday to go to 46 points, are now 10 clear of CSKA in third place. Both teams have played 18 games and are separated by Rubin Kazan, who are six back of Zenit but the defending champions have played two games more.
The Railwaymen came into the game without a win in eight but started the better and were rewarded in the 25th minute when Brazilian Maicon headed in an Alexander Aliyev corner.
CSKA did create chances as they chased the game but Guillerme in the Lokomotiv goal dealt comfortably with any threats.
CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky attempted to change things after an hour, bringing on Mark Gonzales for the disappointing Sekou Oliseh, but 10 minutes later the Chilean winger was sent off after head butting Malkhaz Asatiani. The Georgian defender threw the ball into Gonzales' face after he was fouled and also saw red.
With both sides down to 10 men CSKA still struggled to lift their game, and afterwards Slutsky blamed the international break for his team's lack of energy.
"League games after international games always cause me great concern due to the fact that the players arrive ... in various states of disrepair," he said. "Today, unfortunately, these fears were confirmed. The condition of players was far from optimal - they lacked freshness."
He went on to suggest that Gonzales would have done better to fall down after the ball hit him in the face.
"In the end, he simply defended himself, and there was nowhere to go," Slutsky said.
Lokomotiv coach Yury Semin said he hoped the victory would give his side some momentum after the struggles of August. Lokomotiv now have 26 points, moving up to eighth place above Tom Tomsk. Dynamo Moscow, 3-1 winners over Terek Grozny later on Sunday, joined Lokomotiv on 26 points, below their Moscow rivals on goal difference but with a game in hand.
In the weekend's final game, Rostov beat Anzhi Makhachkala 1-0 to reclaim fifth place while Krylya Sovetov overcame the surprise of the season Spartak Nalchik, who remain fourth.
Saturday's results
Sibir 1-2 Alania Vladikavkaz
Zenit St. Petersburg 2-0 Tom Tomsk
Spartak Moscow 2-1 Saturn
Rubin Kazan 3-0 Amkar Perm
Sunday's results
Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0 CSKA Moscow
Krylya Sovetov 2-0 Spartak Nalchik
Dynamo Moscow 3-1 Terek Grozny
Rostov 1-0 Anzhi Makhachkala
League table (20 games unless stated)
Zenit St. Petersburg - 46 points (18 games)
Rubin Kazan - 40
CSKA Moscow - 36 (18)
Spartak Nalchik - 33
Rostov - 32
Spartak Moscow - 29 (19)
Terek Grozny - 27
Lokomotiv Moscow - 26
Dynamo - 26 (19)
Tom Tomsk - 25
Anzhi Makhachkala - 23
Alania Vladikavkaz - 22
Saturn - 21
Amkar Perm - 18
Krylya Sovetov - 16
Sibir - 12
MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti)
