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Rubin Kazan clinch second straight title

The scoreless stalemate in Kazan gave Rubin 60 points and an insurmountable five-point lead over second-placed Spartak Moscow with one game remaining.

"This title means much more for us than the first," Rubin captain Sergei Semak told reporters.

"We had to fight probably three times harder than last year. This time our main rivals were chasing us to the very end," added Russian international Semak in reference to last year's crown that was won with three games to spare.

"We also had to prove that last year's win was no fluke. We showed a great team spirit and comradeship."

Spartak conceded the winning goal in the 89th minute when their goalkeeper Soslan Dzhanayev spilled an easy shot by Tomas Necid over the line. It was Dzhanayev's second costly blunder in two matches after he also let the ball into his own goal in a 2-1 defeat at Krylya Sovietov Samara two weeks ago.

Spartak's Brazilian striker Welliton made it 2-2 with his 21st league goal of the season midway through the second half before Necid scored his second a minute from time to give CSKA the points.

At the other end of the table, Kuban Krasnodar and Rostov will battle in the season's finale next Sunday to avoid relegation along with bottom club Khimki, whose fate was sealed a month ago.