Promes and Ponce return the spark to Spartak 

Spartak Moscow 3-1 Khimki
Saturday 11 September, Otkritie Bank Arena

Goals: Spartak - Ayrton 25’, Promes 48’, Ponce 68’; Khimki - Glushakov 89’
Man of the Match: Quincy Promes (Spartak)

A wonderful team goal was emphatically smashed home by Ayrton Lucas midway through the second half to break the deadlock for Spartak. Nikolay Rasskazov burst through Khimki’s backline to latch onto a perfectly weighted Aleksandr Sobolev return pass, before cutting back to find his fellow full-back.

With only a couple of minutes on the clock in the second half, Quincy Promes lashed a brutally efficient shot past Ilya Lantratov after a subtle combination with Ezequiel Ponce. The Argentine touched the ball into Promes’ path to create space for a near-post rocket.

Half way through the second period, a rapid breakaway saw Victor Moses race clear. His shot was parried by Lantratov, but only into the path of Ponce, who steadied himself before slamming another rocket inside the near post.

Former Spartak captain Denis Glushakov pulled back a consolation in the last minute, but the game was already well and truly gone by then.

Spartak move up to sixth on 10 points, while Khimki remain 12th on six points.

Next RPL fixtures: Saturday 18 September - Ufa vs Khimki; Monday 20 September - CSKA vs Spartak