MOSCOW, October 17 (RIA Novosti) - Title holders Rubin went four points clear at the top of the Russian Premier League after a comfortable win over bottom-placed Khimki on Saturday.
Rubin, who travel to Spain to play European champions Barcelona in a Champions League tie on Tuesday, rested a number of key players as they hosted struggling Khimki.
A goal in either half from Turkish midfielder Gokdeniz Karadeniz and Alan Kasaev gave the 2008 champions a two-goal cushion before Khimki forward Alexander Antipenko unexpectedly pulled one back for the guests with two minutes left on the clock.
Khimki never looked like coming close to an equalizer though, and Rubin ran out 2-1 winners. The result means that Khimki must win their remaining five games to have any chance of staying up.
Second-placed Spartak Moscow, with a game in hand, host cross-town rivals Lokomotiv tomorrow.
In other results on Saturday, Juande Ramos' CSKA Moscow drew 1-1 with relegation-threatened Spartak Nalchik, despite opening the scoring in the 2nd minute through Serbian Milos Krasic.
Spartak defender Alexander Amisulashvili got on the end of a floated free-kick in the 31st minute to level the score.
"Both teams played for the win and put in the maximum effort," Ramos told the NTV + TV station after the game. "It was a fair result."
The point lifts CSKA into third place, ahead of Zenit St. Petersburg on goal difference. Zenit travel to outsiders Kuban on Sunday.
Tom Tomsk look to have sealed their Premier League survival for another year after a 1-0 win away to Dynamo Moscow. The win lifts the west Siberian club up to 10th place and eight points above of the second relegation spot.
Urals side Amkar remain outside contenders for the drop after a 2-0 defeat away to Moscow Region side Saturn, who move into seventh.
Table (after 25 games unless stated)
Rubin - 50
Spartak Moscow - 46 (24 games)
CSKA Moscow - 43
Zenit St. Petersburg - 43 (24 games)
Lokomotiv Moscow - 41 (24 games)
FC Moskva - 38 (24 games)
Saturn - 35
Dynamo Moscow - 34
Terek Grozny - 33 (24 games)
Tom Tomsk - 31
Krilya Sovetov - 30 (24 games)
Rostov - 28 (24 games)
Amkar - 27
Spartak Nalchik - 25
Kuban -23 (24 games)
Khimki -10
