Dmitry Kirichenko’s placed shot secured a 1-0 victory for FC Rostov at home to FC Volga on Saturday, lifting Rostov out of the relegation playoff places.
The result ends Volga’s hopes of escaping 14th place, which condemns the Premier League debutants to a playoff against a First Division side later this month.
Volga saw captain Sergei Bendz sent off after he appeared to stamp on Belarusian forward Timofei Kalachev’s ankle in a challenge on 66 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Kalachev played in Kirichenko with a weighted pass, and the former CSKA Moscow striker flicked the pall over the onrushing Mikhail Kerzhakov to score the winner.
The win sees Rostov take 12th place from Krylya Sovetov Samara, who can return Rostov to 13th place and the first of the two relegation playoff places with a win at FC Krasnodar on Monday.
