CSKA Moscow stretched their lead at the head of the Russian Premier League to seven points after a 1-0 home win over Krasnodar. With second-placed Anzhi Makhachkala held at home by Krylya Sovetov, CSKA enhanced their title prospects thanks to a 17th-minute goal from attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev.

It was a bad day for Anzhi but it might have been worse. They had a one-man advantage from the 37th minute of their match after Krylya Sovetov had Alexander Amisulashvili sent off, but the visitors who stand third bottom in the table then took a 64th-minute lead through Sergey Kornilenko.

Anzhi had a long trip to England during the week and the travelling, plus the UEFA Europa League defeat they suffered at the hands of Newcastle, may have been taking its toll. However they at least salvaged some reward, with Lacina Traore netting an 81st-minute equaliser.

Third-placed Zenit St Petersburg also went out of the Europa League on Thursday as Swiss side Basel took their scalp, but Zenit returned to winning ways today, edging a home tussle with Mordovia Saransk by a 1-0 margin.

Striker Hulk put Zenit ahead after 55 minutes, and Mordovia were reduced to 10 men six minutes later as Vladimir Bozovic was sent off.

Rubin Kazan have a Europa League quarter-final against Chelsea ahead of them, but a goalless draw away to Terek Grozny was a result unlikely to worry the English side. Terek had Rizvan Yutsiev sent off late on.