CSKA Moskva fall to Rostov 2-1

Luzhniki Stadium was the setting for one of Sunday's most stunning upsets as CSKA Moskva fell 2-1 to FC Rostov. The loss is particularly disheartening for the Army-Men because they missed a perfect opportunity to climb to the top of the table following Spartak's upset of defending champion Rubin Kazan.

With a completely unchanged side that blew apart Khimki 3-0 the week before Zico went forward once again with the attacking pulse of Yuri Zhirkov, Miloš Krasić, Alan Dzagoev, former Slavia Praha striker Tomáš Necid along with seventeen year-old Georgi Shchennikov in the back-line. Evgeni Aldonin gave the Army-Men the 1-0 lead with eighteen minutes left as he took a simple thrown-in in the Rostov area and as the surged towards 'keeper Veniamin Mandrykin, he sent a low cross towards Alan Dzagoev but was deflected in by Mikhail Rozhkov. However with three minutes left in the half, Rostov found the equalizer via a fortunate bounce. After Dmitri Akimov worked down from the left flank and provided Igor Lebedenko the ball just outside the area the striker turned and fired with the ball taking a significant bounce off either Hong Yong-Jo or Georgi Shchennikov and past Igor Akinfeev. Two minutes after the break former Crvena Zvezda-man Dušan Anđelković sent a cross in from the left that Dmitri Akimov headed off the bar with the rebound eventually being sent in by Hong Yong-Jo for the 2-1 lead. Rostov had a chance to pull away as after Dmitri Akimov was brought down in the area, Mikhail Osinov stepped up the spot but Igor Akinfeev couldn't be fooled and kept CSKA within one. However the leveler could not be found as the Army-Men lost 2-1.