A Bebras Natcho free-kick gave Rubin Kazan a 1-0 home win over a weakened Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday evening and put the Russian club into second place in Europa League Group A.
Russian international striker Roman Pavlyuchenko made a rare start for Tottenham, but the London club struggled to create opportunities, and had keeper Carlo Cudicini to thank for keeping a dominant Rubin's advantage down to a single goal.
A win for Tottenham, who won the first tie between the two clubs thanks to a Pavlyuchenko goal, would have put them into the knockout stages, but Natcho's 55th minute strike means Rubin are now above them on goal difference, with both clubs on seven points.
Rubin created a host of further chances after Natcho's superbly hit free-kick, but Cudcini somehow kept out efforts from Alexander Ryazantsev and Nelson Valdez.
Tottenham were without manager Harry Rednapp, who earlier underwent heart surgery in the UK.
"I was afraid of a repeat of the London result, when we created lost of chances, but lost," Rubin manager Kurban Berdyev told the NTV+ TV channel. "But fortunately everything turned out ok and we won."
Rubin now face Ireland's Shamrock Rovers at home and then travel to Greece to face group leaders PAOK Salonika. Tottenham host the Greeks, before travelling to Ireland.
