Zenit, winter champions after defeating Spartak Moscow

Zenit Saint Petersburg were proclaimed winter champions in the Russian league on Wednesday by defeating Spartak Moscow (3-1) before starting the three-month winter break.

Iranian Azmoun opened the scoring in the 8th minute, but the Moscow team leveled at 22 with an own goal from Croatian Lovren.

When the game was getting uphill for the hosts, the Ukrainian Rakitski scored with a volley from outside the area from a corner in the 73rd minute and Dzyuba finished the game with a goal in added time.

The Russian champion attacked more and had in Malcom, Dzyuba and Azmoun's boots many more chances than his rival, who was limited to defending almost the entire match.

Former Barcelona player Malcom, whose performance this season has been very uneven, was named best player of the match.

The match was played without an audience in the stands of the Gazprom Arena (68,000 seats) due to the difficult epidemic situation in St. Petersburg.

After 19 rounds, Zenit adds 41 points, six more than the second classified, Spartak (35), who can be surpassed this Thursday by CSKA Moscow (34).

The Russian Army team will play on Thursday at the home of fifth-placed Valeri Karpin's Rostov, which they lead by two points.

With this winter championship, Zenit rebuilds from a new European fiasco, as they added a single point in the group stage of the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, Lazio and Bruges.