Spartak
Spartak's previous win in Moscow Region was against Saturn seven years ago, but the curse was finally lifted with this thumping 3-0 win against doomed Khimki. The fun started in the ninth minute, when Nikita Bazhenov's shot was parried but the rebound was deftly tapped in by Welliton. Then young Sergei Parshivlyuk bagged his first ever goal, belting the ball into the far corner from 25 yards. Finally, an unmarked Bazhenov set up unmarked Welliton, leaving the Khimki ‘keeper hopping mad, and sending Spartak top... for a day.
Rich Delacy
Last time out: Khimki (a) 3-0
Next up: Rostov (h), Sun. 2 pm.
FK Moskva
Get your passports ready, we're heading back to Europe. A comprehensive drubbing of CSKA at Luzhniki was all over by half-time - we led 3-0, thanks to Dmitry Tarasov, Alexei Rebko's penalty and a rare Alexander Yepuranu goal, and it could have been five. The Army Men look like a one-man team after the departure of their big-name signings, but Milos Krasic was offside by a country mile when he finally got through early in the second half, and Tomas Necid's late effort was meaningless.
Jimmy Lawrence
Last time out: CSKA (a) 3-1
Next up: Zenit (h), Sat. 2pm
CSKA
A heavy defeat to FK Moskva puts our European qualification in jeopardy - so it's time to call on Leonid Slutsky to become the third man in Moscow's hottest seat. After taking FK Moskva and Krylya Sovietov into Europe in the past two seasons, we need to see him make it three in a row for us. Four games left - can we do it?
JK Samson
Last time out: FK Moskva (h) 1-3
Next up: Terek (a), Fri. 6 pm
Lokomotiv
Loko's shocking defence is one talking point but I feel we need a change of Topić. Something needs to be done about diving. If this hadn't been a dead-rubber mid-table clash the red and green fans would have something to be upset about after the Saturn danger man Marko Topić took a tumble with a half-pike in the box worthy of former Olympic 10 metre-platform champion Vladimir Timoshinin. A post-match three game ban would cut this disgusting behaviour out within weeks.
Ed Bentley
Last time out: Saturn (h) 2-2
Next up: Tom (a), Sun. 11:30 am
Dinamo
With nothing of importance to play for, our 1-1 draw at relegation-haunted Kuban proved far more entertaining that it had any right to be. The comedy started with the hosts' opener: Vladimir Granat cleared directly to Draman Traore, who fired his shot against the hapless defender's heels to wrong-foot a bewildered goalkeeper. Traore then missed a laughable sitter as Dinamo ball-watched. But static defending is contagious, and after Dmitry Khokhlov's effort was beaten away to Dmitry Kombarov, Kuban stood back and demonstrated that they'd learnt well as the young winger put away the equaliser.
Andy Potts
Last time out: Kuban (a) 1-1
Next up: Amkar (h), Sat. 4:30 pm
