Lokomotiv Join Zenit In Champions League

Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2019 ) :Lokomotiv Moscow beat the visitors Ufa 1-0 on Sunday to finish as runners-up in the Russian Premier League and join title winners Zenit St Petersburg in next season's Champions League group stage.

Manuel Fernandes grabbed the goal that earned a narrow win that left them eight points adrift of the champions Zenit, who thrashed Yenisei Krasnoyarsk 4-1.

Krasnodar, who claimed a 1-0 home win over Rubin Kazan, finished third, also on 56 points but behind last term's Russian champions Lokomotiv Moscow on head-to-head.

"It was a difficult but very important match for us," Lokomotiv head coach Yury Syomin said. "An avalanche of injuries gave us no chance to show our best football this season and in today's match in particular.

"But in general it was a good season for us. We've won the cup and earned a place in the Champions League. I think we can be satisfied with our performance this season." Lokomotiv dominated the play from the kick-off but failed to find the net before the 39th minute when Portuguese midfielder Fernandes lifted Muscovites 1-0 up with a well-struck freekick after Ufa fouled Alexei Miranchuk 25 yards away from their goal.

Fernandes had a chance to score his second five minutes after the break when Romanian Ionut Nedelcearu played volleyball in the area but Ufa 'keeper Alexander Belenov parried his spotkick.

Krasnodar were also in command against Rubin Kazan but failed to open the score in the opening period.

But in the 59th minute Brazilian Wanderson found the unmarked Viktor Claesson in the area and the Swede kept his cool to send the ball into the left post to put Krasnodar into the lead.

Russian forward of Brazilian origin Ari scored twice within the space of two minutes but both of his goals were ruled off for offsides.

Meanwhile, Russian international striker Fyodor Chalov maintained his lead in the league scorers chart when he put CSKA Moscow into the lead in the fifth minute of their meeting with Samara redirecting a right-wing cross by Slovenian Jaka Bijol into the net.

Icelanders Hordur Magnusson and Arnor Sigurdsson along with Bijol scored one apiece after the break before Chalov netted his second of the match and season's 15th goal.

Midfielder Ivan Oblyakov added his goal with 10 minutes to go to complete the rout.

Zenit's Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun scored his 13th goal of the season in the 26th minute converting a penalty after Yenisei forward Alexander Kutyin handballed in the box.

After the interval Argentinian forward Sebastian Driussi netted a brace, while Alexander Yerokhin also added a goal before Yenisei veteran Dmitry Torbinsky pulled one goal back.

Yenisei Krasnoyarsk and Anzhi Makhachkala were relegated and will be replaced by Sochi and Tambov in the Premier League next season.