CSKA Moscow missed a glorious chance to take control in the race for a Champions League place on Tuesday with a dour 0-0 draw against Dan Petrescu's FC Kuban.
Tomas Necid and Zoran Tosic missed the hosts' best chances for CSKA, who leapfrog Spartak Moscow into second on 73 points, just one ahead of their rivals.
It takes the race for second in the Premier League down to a dramatic final day on Sunday, when any of CSKA, Spartak and fourth-placed Dynamo, two points behind CSKA, can claim the position.
Zenit, out in front by 12 points, took the title with three games to spare last month. It was an eighth successive game without a win for Kuban, who stay in eighth position and move to 60 points, five short of Rubin Kazan.
The game at a rain-soaked Luzhniki Stadium promised much intially.
Kuban's Costa Rican striker Marcos Urena pounced on a defensive lapse early on to send a rasping low drive toward the corner that Igor Akinfeev palmed away just five minutes in.
Sekou Oliseh blasted over from distance at the other end.
Tosic then cut in from the right flank to curl a wicked left-foot shot that Alexander Belenov tipped over.
The hosts' out-of-sorts striker Seydou Doumbia burst through five minutes before the end of the half but dragged a left-foot shot wide of Belenov's upright.
CSKA defender Viktor Vasin had a header cleared acrobatically off the line by Brazilian defender Zelao in the 52nd minute.
Tosic poked a right-footed shot at goal moments later, but the ball bobbled safely through to Belenov.
Kuban threatened periodically on the break, and Zelao powered a header wide on the hour mark.
Armenia striker Marcos Pizzelli forced a fingertip save out of Akinfeev on 73 minutes.
CSKA substitute Tomas Necid struck over from just eight yards out when Oliseh centered the ball from the left.
Serbia's Tosic then swerved a fierce free kick inches wide of Belenov's right-hand post.
The pressure increased on the visitors as the Czech Necid hit a power drive from 25 yards that Belenov held.
The game petered out in midfield with neither side able to carve out any decent chances.
In Monday's games, FC Tomsk and Spartak Nalchik shared the points in a 1-1 draw between the two teams already relegated; and Sergei Kornilenko set up both goals as Krylya Sovetov hauled themselves out of the relegation playoff places with a 2-0 win at Krasnodar.
In Sunday’s games, Dynamo Moscow drew 2-2 with city rivals Lokomotiv, while Spartak Moscow beat champions Zenit St. Petersburg 3-2 away and Guus Hiddink’s Anzhi secured a place in the Europa League with a 3-1 win at home to Rubin Kazan.
In the relegation group, Sunday saw Rostov beat FC Volga 1-0 and consign Volga to a relegation playoff, while Terek Grozny beat Amkar Perm 3-1.
Later Monday, Krasnodar host Krylya Sovetov, who can leave the relegation playoff places with a win.
