The Kazan team regained the lead in the second half. The ball ricocheted off the defensive wall after a free-kick and went straight to Aleksandr Bukharov, who fired it in from close range, 2-1.

It was the fourth goal the striker had scored in one week, as he was also behind the hat-trick in Rubin’s 3-2 win at Khimki on Monday.

Krylia had several good chances in the end, but Rubin managed to preserve the winning score of 2-1 at the final whistle.

The Kazan team tops the Russian football championship table with 27 points. Their closest rivals FC Moscow, who have 23 points, face Zenit Saint Petersburg on Sunday.

Amkar Perm 3-1 Dinamo Moscow

The break in the championship is over, but Dinamo Moscow were still in a holiday mood as they conceded three goals in the first half of their visit to Perm.

Hosts Amkar went ahead after five minutes through Nikolay Zhilyaev. Dmitry Belorukov’s header made it 2-0 some six minutes later and a long range effort from Vitaly Grishin left the Muscovites no chance of a comeback.

All Dinamo could do to save face was an effort courtesy of Russian international Denis Kolodin in the middle of the second half.

Terek Grozny 1-1 CSKA Moscow

The sides couldn’t find the winner at Dinamo stadium in Grozny. CSKA Moscow had their first game without winger Yury Zhirkov, who became the latest signing for Chelsea, and it was youngster Alan Dazagoev who appeared on the pitch instead of him.

But the Muscovites lacked creativity in front of the goal as their Brazilian stars, Wagner Love and Daliel Carvalho, didn’t appear on the pitch either.

The Army Men went ahead against the lowly-ranked side only at the 68th minute, thanks to a header by the tall Tomas Necid.

But CSKA had only two minutes to celebrate as a penalty was awarded for Evgeny Aldonin’s hand ball in the box, and Terek’s Romanian midfielder Daniel Panku converted to even the score 1-1.

Rostov 0-1 Spartak Moscow

Spartak Moscow have moved to within four points of the table toppers.

The Red-and-Whites dominated proceedings from the off against mid-table Rostov, but had to wait until 19 minutes from time to break the deadlock.

The influential Welliton deftly chipped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper for the winner.

1-0 it ended, and the dream of a first league championship in eight years for Russia’s most popular club is still very much alive.