MOSCOW, December 8 (R-Sport) - Anzhi Makhachkala missed a stoppage-time penalty as their winless Russian Premier League season continued with a 0-0 draw at home to underperforming FC Kuban on Saturday.
Anzhi are last in the Russian top flight, four points from escaping the relegation zone, and have not scored in seven games. Kuban’s single point sees them rise to ninth in a below-par season for the Europa League outfit.
Midfielder Ilya Maximov won the late spot-kick when he was grappled by defender Roman Bugaev, but blasted the penalty over the bar.
Kuban ended the game with nine men, as Bugaev earned a booking for wrestling Maximov, and quickly followed up with a second for dissent. Midfielder Charles Kabore was on a booking when he too was given a second for arguing with the referee.
Before that, Kuban had the better of the chances, especially when Ibrahima Balde sliced a shot wide of the post from five yards at a corner in first-half stoppage time. A goalmouth scramble late in the game briefly posed problems for Anzhi goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov.
With half an hour to play, Maximov thought he had won a penalty, but was instead booked for diving.
Late on, there was a worry for Anzhi coach Gadzhi Gadzhiev as defender Ali Gadzhibekov was forced off injured.
Later Saturday, Lokomotiv Moscow look to retake the top spot against Rubin Kazan. Earlier in the day, super-sub Artem Delkin gave FC Volga a 2-1 win over fellow midtable side Krylya Sovetov Samara.
Champions CSKA Moscow suffered a shock 1-0 defeat on Friday at FC Krasnodar, who broke into the top five with the win. Zenit St. Petersburg at least briefly regained first place with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over strugglers FC Ural.
It is the last round of games before the three-month winter break.
