Akhmat continue perfect start in Russia

MOSCOW: Akhmat Grozny, the club from the capital of the Chechen Republic, maintained their perfect start to the Russian league season with a 2-0 home win over the promoted Dynamo Moscow on Saturday.

Second-half substitute Magomed Mitrishev opened the scoring late on before a spot-kick by Brazilian Rodolfo secured the win for Akhmat, who have nine points from a possible nine.

They are three points clear of CKSA Moscow as well as Krasnodar, Lokomotiv Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg, who are all still to play this weekend.

Mitrishev got the breakthrough with 10 minutes remaining as he turned in a left-wing cross by the Iranian Milad Mohammadi and three minutes later it was 20 when Dynamo ‘keeper Anton Shunin fouled Mitrishev in the area and Rodolfo scored from the spot.

“We looked the better side and won deservedly today,” said Akhmat head coach Oleg Kononov.

CSKA, fresh from their 2-0 win in midweek at AEK Athens in the Champions League third qualifying round first leg, experienced few troubles on their way to a home win over SKA Khabarovsk.

Alexander Golovin and Israeli international Bebras Natcho, with a penalty, scored in the first half as the Red Army side won 2-0 against opponents from the Russian Far East.

“We’ve played really well in the first half,” CSKA manager Viktor Gancharenko said.

“After the break we eased up the pressure. But it’s easy to understand as we played a difficult match in Athens where the weather was really hot.”

CSKA host AEK in the return leg this coming Wednesday.

Champions Spartak Moscow, who have drawn their opening two games, host Krasnodar on Monday. - AFP