Revived Rostov thrash Amkar

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 2: Axel Witsel of FC Zenit St. Petersburg (L) vies for the ball with Alexandru Gatcan of FC Rostov (R) during the Russian Football League Championship match between FC Zenit St. Petersburg and FC Rostov at the Petrovsky Stadium on November 2, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Moscow, Nov 10 – Struggling FC Rostov ended their six-game winless run in emphatic style with a 3-0 home thrashing of Amkar Perm in the Russian football league.

Rostov hauled themselves up a place to 13th with the win Friday and put a three-point buffer between themselves and the relegation zone, while Amkar stay 10th.

The hosts took the lead when Florent Sinama Pongolle embarked on a solo run and sent in a cross for the unmarked Razvan Cocis to score the 27th-minute opener.

Rostov were given a penalty 11 minutes later when Amkar goalkeeper Sergei Narubin fouled Edgaras Cesnauskis, and the goalkeeper stayed focused to deny Pongolle from the spot.

Kornel Salata made it 2-0 to Rostov on 69 minutes when centre-back Kornel Salata looped a header over Narubin at a corner.

Two minutes later, Rostov had their second penalty when Timofei Kalachev was brought down by Makhmednaim Sharifi.

With Sinama Pongolle having departed the field in a half-time substitution, veteran Dmitry Kirichenko stepped up to convert the spot-kick.