Nishimura opens Russian account to help CSKA maintain title push

Moscow (AFP) – Japanese striker Takuma Nishimura scored his first goal since joining CSKA Moscow in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Rubin Kazan to help his new club maintain their bid for a seventh title.

Goals from Nishimura, Fyodor Chalov and Slovenian Jaka Bijol left CSKA in third, four points behind leaders Zenit St Petersburg, who take on Ufa on Sunday. 

“Today we played really well. We’ve created plenty of chances and scored three deserved goals,” Chalov said.

CSKA, unexpectedly defeated 2-0 by Arsenal Tula in their first match after the winter break, opened the scoring in the 24th minute.

The 22-year-old Nishimura, who moved to Moscow from J-League side Vegalta Sendai last August, netted his first goal in Russia, hammering the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box after Georgy Schennikov’s cross was headed down by Brazilian winger Mario Fernandes. 

In the 83rd minute Chalov netted his 10th goal of the season after he received a pass by Ivan Oblyakov in the area and lobbed the ball into the net over Rubin ‘keeper Yegor Baburin to maintain his lead in the Russian league scorers’ chart.

Late substitute Bijol added a third in the third minute of stoppage time.

In Saturday’s early match Samara thrashed visitors Yenisei Krasnoyarsk 4-0.

Romanian midfielder Paul Anton put Samara into the lead in the 37th minute, while forward Maxim Kanunnikov, skipper Sergei Kornilenko and substitute Ramil Sheydaev added one apiece after the break.

“I didn’t expect to win by such an impressive scoreline but I’m very pleased anyway,” Samara’s head coach Miodrag Bozovic said.