Zenit beat Rubin, Samara thrash Kuban Krasnodar
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Reigning champions Zenit St. Petersburg beat struggling Rubin Kazan 3-1 on Monday to move into second place in the Russian Premier League. A brace by Russian international Oleg Shatov and a goal by Brazilian Hulk set Zenit on their way to a victory which left them three points behind leaders CSKA Moscow, the only side with a perfect record.
"Everything was just fantastic," Zenit manager Andre Villas-Boas said. "Today we were the best team on the pitch. And there was a fantastic exhibition for us.
"After we've suffered a goal the team reacted really well. We've scored the second goal and then the third, which killed the game. There's only one team to win this game and it's Zenit."
Zenit took the lead in the 16th minute when Axel Witsel set up the unmarked Shatov 12 yards out with a back-heel and Shatov fired home from with Rubin goalkeeper Sergei Ryzhikov well beaten. In the 72nd minute Rubin midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov levelled, only for Hulk to restore the visitors' lead six minutes later, lobbing the ball into the net over the helpless Ryzhikov from 22 metres. Shatov rounded off the scoring with his second of the match with six minutes to go.
In Monday's other encounter, newly-promoted Samara thrashed visitors Kuban Krasnodar 3-0. Belarusian international Stanislav Dragun netted a double, while compatriot Sergei Kornilenko added a third.