CSKA on brink of title glory with Lokomotiv rout

Moscow, May 13 (IANS/RIA Novosti)

CSKA Moscow all but assured themselves of the Russian Premier League football trophy with a 4-1 thumping of Lokomotiv Moscow.

Leonid Slutsky’s side will be crowned champions for the first time in seven years if holders Zenit St. Petersburg are beaten at FC Rostov, or if CSKA outdo their rivals in either of the two remaining games thereafter.

“There were nerves, and we still have them. We still have to take the last steps and they’re always the hardest to take. But the guys are capable of taking them,” Slutsky said of the run-in in.

Two goals from CSKA’s irrepressible Brazilian star Vagner Love did most of the damage in the first half Sunday, aided by some catastrophic Lokomotiv defending.

Lokomotiv had faint hope when Dmitry Tarasov stumbled through the CSKA defence to prod into the corner on 55 minutes, but substitute Seydou Doumbia swiveled and shot to make it 4-1 on 74 minutes and seal the result.

Slaven Bilic’s side remain in 10th on 40 points, now out of the running for European football.