Injury-hit Russian champions Spartak Moscow ended their four-match winless streak on Saturday when they beat 10-man Ural Yekaterinburg 2-0.

Goals by Alexander Samedov and Pedro Rocha led Spartak, missing eight of their first-choice players, to a well-deserved win which lifted them into sixth place, 10 points behind leaders Zenit St Petersburg, who face rock-bottom Anzhi Makhachkala on Sunday.

"It was one of the best matches that we've played this month," Spartak manager Massimo Carrera said.

"We created plenty of chances, we were in complete control, we've scored goals and kept a clean sheet."

The 10-time Russian champions opened the scoring in the 36th minute when Samedov converted a left-wing cross by Paraguayan Lorenzo Melgarejo.

Six minutes after the interval Brazilian forward Rocha added the second goal beating Ural 'keeper Yaroslav Godzyur with a low shot from just inside the area after a one-two with compatriot Luiz Adriano.

Ural's hopes of hitting back ended in the 75th minute when their Slovenian defende Gregor Balazic was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Rocha found the net again with two minutes remaining but the attempt was ruled out for offside.

Rubin Kazan slumped to a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of lowly Amkar Perm for whom Polish midfielder Janusz Gol scored the winning goal with seven minutes to go.

"Our victory wasn't deserved," said Amkar head coach Gadzhi Gazhiev. "We had only one scoring opportunity but we managed to convert it and win. We weren't the better side today but we have just been more fortunate."