Rubin capture RPL promotion

Rubin Kazan earn promotion to play in 2023/24 RPL season after beating Baltika Kaliningrad 1-0 in First League Matchday 32.

The winning goal was scored by Marat Apshatsev in the end of first half. Rubin climbed on top of standings with 65 points after 32 matches and moved Baltika to second place. Kazan team has nine-point advantage over Alania with two matchdays left in the season.

Rubin captured promotion next day after Baltika, who earned it following goalless draw in Akron vs Alania fixture.

Previously Rubin had been playing in RPL for 19 years; they made debut in top division in 2003 and relegated in 2021/22 season. Kazan club was two-time Russian champion, won the title in 2008 and 2009; they also got bronze medals in 2003 and 2010.

Rubin earned promotion under Rashid Rakhimov, he coached four teams in RPL, which were Amkar, Lokomotiv, Akhmat and Ufa. Team started this season with Leonid Slutsky, hired in the end of 2019; he was replaced with Yury Utkulbaev in November 2022, but in April Rakhimov took the duties of head coach. 58-year-old manager won all six matches with Rubin in First League since joining the staff.