Alania Vladikavkaz will return to the Russian Premier League after a one-year absence following defeat for their closest rivals FC Nizhny Novgorod on the last day of the First Division season Saturday.
FC Nizhny were thrashed 3-0 at Torpedo Moscow in a surprise result against a Torpedo team that had not won since November, leaving the visitors three points adrift of the second automatic promotion place.
Alania ground out a 2-2 draw away at FC Ural as Sergei Tkachev’s last-gasp penalty for Ural canceled out Alania forward Sanzhar Tursunov’s stoppage time strike.
Mordovia Saransk claimed the first promotion spot last week, and their final-day 1-0 defeat away at Dynamo Bryansk did nothing to alter their status as First Division champions.
For Alania, the 1995 Russian Premier League winner, the day's results end the anomaly of the team being the only Russian champion residing outside the top flight.
FC Nizhny’s defeat sets up a derby playoff in Russia’s third city with 14th-placed Premier League side FC Volga, with the winner representing the city of Nizhny Novgorod in the top tier next season.
Shinnik Yaroslavl finished fourth in the First Division to claim the other spot in the playoffs, where they will face either Krylya Sovetov or FC Rostov, with their opponent to be decided on the final day of the Russian Premier League season Sunday.
At the other end of the First Division table, there are three games in the relegation group, with former Premier League sides Luch-Energia Vladivostok and FC Khimki both threatened with the drop.
