Nikola Vlasic struck two minutes from time to seal a 2-1 win over LASK Linz from Austria in CSKA Moscow’s second winter training match in Spain. The Croatian had given his side the lead in the first half before Husein Balic equalised on the hour for LASK.

“Maybe we didn't play the football we love,” Vlasic told CSKA’s press service, “but that's because we were tired from the training camp. [LASK] played aggressive football, and applied pressure all over the pitch. We have reason to be happy with the result.”

When asked about CSKA’s chances of overhauling Zenit St. Petersburg’s 11-point lead in the Russian Premier League, he was confident. “We believe [we can]!" There are not so many points between us, and there are enough games. They will also come to our VEB Arena. We will fight to the end!”

Viktor Goncharenko named a strong lineup which included new signing Ilya Shkurin up front alongside Fedor Chalov and didn’t make a single substitution. CSKA have now won both training matches this winter, and will return to Spain for their second training camp on Wednesday 29 January.

CSKA Moscow 2-1 LASK Linz
25 January, Campoamor, Spain
Goals: Vlasic 16’, 88’; Balic 60’

CSKA: Akinfeev, Fernandes, Diveev, Karpov, Nababkin, Akhmetov, Bistrovic, Oblyakov, Vlasic, Chalov, Shkurin