Zenit St. Petersburg had been competing with Lokomotiv Moscow for the title of hottest team in the league, but with Saturday's convincing 2-0 home win over CSKA Moscow, Zenit now has the table on their side.

True, both Lokomotiv and Spartak Moscow could pass now second place Zenit tomorrow. Spartak came into the weekend in second, while Loko was one point ahead of previously fifth place Zenit. Both play Sunday, but until then, Zenit sits second, seven points behind Rubin Kazan, and have the first scalp in the four team race for the league's last automatic Champions League birth.

The home team got on the board in first half injury time with Mateja Kezman, who came on loan from Ligue 1's Paris St. Germain last month, slotted home a penalty kick to open the scoring. Towards the end of the second half, winger Vladimir Bystov, who had scored one goal in each of his preceding four matches with Zenit (since moving over from Spartak at the end of the transfer window), finished Zenit's counter off a CSKA corner to put the match away.

It was CSKA's first league loss under Juande Ramos, who have won his two preceding Russian Premier League matches 3-0. In St. Petersburg, the ambitious style Ramos has instilled played directly into a more talented Zenit side, who spent the match dispelling CSKA's attacked before methodically countering. Some great individual defensive play from a talented CSKA back line kept Zenit from completing their final passes in the box, keeping the score low.

The match ended-up playing-out like CSKA's Champions League loss in Germany to VfL Wolfsburg, CSKA's only loss under Ramos before today.

For Zenit, the dominant win affirmed claims they are not only the most talented team in the league but are now playing like the best.