Spartak Moscow win first league title since 2001

7 May 2017 21:17

Spartak Moscow have been crowned champions of the Russian Premier League for the first time since 2001 with three games to spare after rivals Zenit slipped to defeat against Terek Grozny.

After Massimo Carrera’s league leaders beat FC Tom Tomsk 1-0 courtesy of a first-half goal from Quincy Promes on Saturday, Zenit were undone by Ablaye Mbengue’s 65th-minute strike, as Grozny inflicted a first defeat in four games on Mircea Lucescu’s men on Sunday.

The results left Spartak 10 points clear of second placed CSKA Moscow and 11 clear of Zenit with three games left to play, and a 10th Russian championship extends the club’s record as the country’s most successful team.

The triumph marks Spartak’s first league title since 2001, when Oleg Romantsev’s side finished four points clear of Lokomotiv Moscow, but this season’s campaign has been more impressive – Spartak have already amassed 63 points, compared to their final total of 60 in 2000-01.

Этого дня мы ждали долгих шестнадцать лет. И вот свершилось! «Спартак» снова чемпион! https://t.co/Mzqt1u4flS pic.twitter.com/6toO4bjUdM

— FC Spartak Moscow (@fcsm_official) May 7, 2017

Dutch winger Promes has been inspirational this season, scoring 11 goals in 23 league appearances, while Cape Verde international Ze Luis has scored five goals in 19 appearances as a striker.

Carrera took over as Spartak manager in August 2016, after working as assistant to predecessor Dmitri Alenichev.

Spartak have lost just four games on their way to clinching the title in Carrera’s first season in charge.