Alania Vladikavkaz drew 2-2 with Krylya Sovetov in the Russian Premier League on Saturday, with Alania striker Danilo Neco hitting a brace.
The Brazilian opened the scoring on 34 minutes from a free kick; his low shot glancing in off a player in the Krylya wall.
Half-time substitute Roman Grigoryan made the score 1-1 after a goalmouth scramble on the hour mark.
Seven minutes later, Neco was given ample room to hit his second, firing low into the corner after collecting a pass from compatriot Rudnei in the center of the Krylya box.
But Krylya's response was instant, with another Brazilian Bruno Teles playing a give-and-go with Pablo Zeballos before burying the ball expertly.
The brace puts Neco on nine goals, joining FC Krasnodar striker Yura Movsisyan at the top of the league's scoring charts.
Alania failed to win for the sixth-consecutive game, moving up one place to 12th with 10 points.
It was a third-straight draw for Krylya, who climb two positions to ninth on 13 points.
Both teams were a defender down inside 25 minutes as Alania’s Anton Grigoriev and Krylya’s Steeve Joseph-Reinette were forced to leave the pitch with injuries.
Neco could have doubled Alania’s lead late in the first half, but Krylya goalkeeper Sergei Veremko somehow kept out his header and follow-up shot.
Earlier Saturday, Mordovia Saransk grabbed an unlikely 2-0 victory over FC Volga in a basement battle and FC Kuban earned a surprise 1-0 win at Lokomotiv Moscow.
On Friday, Terek Grozny beat FC Rostov 2-1 to go into second place.
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.
In other matches, Rubin Kazan entertain Amkar Perm and Zenit St. Petersburg play FC Krasnodar.
