CSKA Moscow staked a bold claim on second place and a Champions League berth in the Russian Premier League on Wednesday with a 3-0 defeat of 10-man Lokomotiv Moscow.
The hosts played almost all of the 90 minutes a man down after Manuel da Costa brought down Seydou Doumbia in the area on seven minutes, and the Ivorian made no mistake from the spot for his 28th league goal of the season.
Lokomotiv more than held their own through the contest, but were killed off on 78 minutes when Doumbia set up Zoran Tosic, who wrong footed Roman Shishkin and buried the ball in the corner.
Tosic made it three just two minutes from time with a powerful free kick that deflected in off Lokomotiv striker Victor Obinna in the wall.
With the win, CSKA race into second on 72 points, two ahead of Dynamo Moscow, who could only manage a 1-1 draw against Spartak Moscow earlier Wednesday.
With six points left to play for, any of the three could still claim second place.
Runaway leaders Zenit St. Petersburg clinched the title last week, and drew 2-2 on Wednesday against Rubin Kazan.
At the Cherkizovsky Stadium, CSKA could have doubled their lead early on through Pontus Wernbloom and Keisuke Honda, but both sent efforts wide inside 15 minutes.
At the other end, Felipe Caicedo thought he had equalized but had his close-range volley ruled out for offside.
Honda then sent a low shot wide before Caicedo returned the favor at the other end.
Tosic hit a fizzing left-foot drive that Lokomotiv goalkeeper Guilherme spilled but then grabbed.
The Ecuadorian Caicedo then blazed a header over after a throw out by CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was intercepted.
In the second half, Lokomotiv more than held their own despite being a man down, restricting CSKA to long shots from Honda and Yevgeny Aldonin.
The hosts went close on the hour mark as Nigerian striker Viktor Obinna blazed over from the edge of the area after a set up from young midfielder Maxim Grigorev.
Doumbia could have raced clear on 75 minutes but his control let him down and the ball squirmed away.
As Lokomotiv defenders tired, Doumbia and Tosic carved out the second goal, with the final effort coming from the Serbian's free kick.
In other games Wednesday, Andrei Arshavin rescued a 2-2 draw for champions Zenit at Rubin Kazan; Terek Grozny beat FC Volga 3-1, Amkar and Krasnodar drew 2-2; and there was a further 2-2 draw between Spartak Nalchik and FC Rostov.
Krylya Sovetov host FC Tom Tomsk on Thursday.
