Spartak
A 2-1 defeat in Samara, and a shame that after so many great performances it seems that two absolute howlers have cost us the title. First, Martin Strantsl heroically stretched to clear a free kick but somehow sliced the ball into his own net. Four minutes later, poor Soslan Dzhanaev, safe as houses all season, let a weak effort slip through his gloves and (maybe) over the line. It summed up our luck when the Krylya keeper spilled Alex's shot but the ball spun to safety. It just wasn't our day, and it's probably not our season. Again.
Rich Delacy
Last time out: Krylya Sovietov (a) 1-2
Next up: CSKA (h) Nov. 21
CSKA
A pulsating second half showed why Rubin are champions-elect. The way they repelled wave after wave of CSKA attacks bore the hallmark of winners who had their strategy and tactics well planned out. Leonid Slutsky deserves credit for trying to charge up his players - we had our chances but it just wasn't our day. Now the team owes the fans a resounding victory over Spartak in the last city derby of the season.
JK Samson
Last time out: Rubin (h) 0-2
Next up: Spartak (a) Nov. 21
FK Moskva
A point gained, or two points tossed away? True, Alexei Rebko's equaliser on 86 minutes saved us from defeat - and probably doomed Kuban to relegation. But we should have taken all the points after Rebko and Martin Yakubko put us 2-0 up at half time. Four minutes of madness after the break wiped out that advantage, though, and gave Zenit the upper hand in the race for third place. Great game for the neutral, painful for the diehards.
Jimmy Lawrence
Last time out: Kuban (a) 3-3
Next up: Spartak Nalchik (h) Nov. 21
Dinamo
Just when you thought the season was over, up pops a six-goal thriller seasoned with a couple of cracking goals and spiced up by a great penalty save. In terms of this season it doesn't make much difference, but watching the habitually hapless Adrian Ropotan spank home a 30-yarder before Alexander Kerzhakov got back on form with a brace and the Kombarov twins started to maraud down the flanks at least offers some hope for next term. It almost looks like fun again.
Andy Potts
Last time out: Spartak Nalchik (a) 4-2
Next up: Lokomotiv (h) Nov. 21
Lokomotiv
Rashid Rakhimov made an unpopular return to the Cherkizovsky stadium and, unsurprisingly, his team played very little football. Luckily, these days we only have to put up with this rubbish twice a year when we play goal shy Amkar and the proverbial bus they place on the field every match. Dmitry Sychyov was the hero despite squandering a penalty after he banged in a trademark thunderbolt from outside the area to wake the slumbering fans in the last minute.
Ed Bentley
Last time out: Amkar (h) 1-0
Next up: Dinamo (a) Nov. 21
