Brazilian striker Ailton scored what turned out to be the winner in a 2-1 Russian Premier League defeat of FC Rostov on Friday.
Ailton stroked the ball confidently past Rostov goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa on 83 minutes from Igor Lebedenko's volleyed pass.
Terek’s Polish defender Marcin Komorowski had put the team from Chechnya ahead on 52 minutes, heading Blagoy Georgiev’s corner cross into the far corner.
Belarusian midfielder Timofei Kalachev gave Rostov hope in the dying minutes with a header from Dragan Blatnjak's curled cross from the right, but Terek held on for the three points.
Terek's first win in three games puts them second behind leaders Anzhi Makhachkala, who play Dynamo Moscow on Sunday.
Rostov's third straight loss keeps them in 13th.
Mauricio should have doubled Terek's lead from the penalty spot after Pletikosa upended Ailton, but smashes his shot against the crossbar.
Terek spurned a series of chances at the very start of the game as Ailton was first on the rebound after Lebedenko hit the bar, but Rostov’s South African defender Siyanda Xulu cleared off the line.
In the next attack, Terek striker Lebedenko put right-back Dmitry Yatchenko one-on-one with Pletikosa, but the defender missed the target aiming for the far corner.
The visitors spent most of the first half defending.
However, on 44 minutes former Liverpool striker Florent Sinama Pongolle missed an excellent chance from close range.
On 62 minutes, Terek’s goalkeeper Yaroslav Godzyur made a reaction save to deny Romanian midfielder Razvan Cocis.
On Saturday, Yuri Krasnozhan’s FC Kuban will travel to Moscow to face his former team Lokomotiv, bottom-placed FC Volga will host Mordovia Saransk and Alania Vladikavkaz will encounter Krylya Sovetov.
Sunday will see several big matches, including the much-anticipated derby between CSKA and Spartak Moscow and the clash between Guus Hiddink’s Anzhi and recovering Dynamo Moscow.
Elsewhere, FC Krasnodar will host reigning champions Zenit St. Petersburg and Rubin Kazan play Amkar Perm.
