Champions CSKA Moscow’s hopes of retaining their Russian Premier league title suffered a major setback on Monday after falling 1-0 at tailenders Amkar Perm.

Amkar substitute midfielder Igor Kireyev scored the only goal on 59 minutes after his earler effort had been ruled offside.

CSKA forward Kirill Panchenko had a chance to level with five minutes to go but his 20-metre shot was confidently saved by Amkar goalie Roman Gerus.

It was a third straight league defeat for the Red Army side who remain third with 43 points from 23 matches, 12 behind leaders Zenit St Petersburg.

FC Krasnodar sit second four points ahead of CSKA with seven matches left to play.

“It was a hard match with a nervous ending as CSKA are one of the league’s top teams,” Amkar head coach Gadzhi Gadzhiev said after his side’s fourth win of the season.

“The last time we won a Premierships match was in October. Today we were the hungrier side.”

CSKA manager Leonid Slutsky admitted: “Today we were poor in attack. That’s the main reason for our defeat.”

Elsewhere Monday a brace by forward Maxim Grigoriev set struggling Rostov on their way to a 2-1 win over Spartak Moscow.

Grigoriev put Rostov ahead in the 35th minute when he headed home Timofei Kalachev’s right-handed cross.

Spartak levelled two minutes later when Argentinian back Juan Manuel Insaurralde sent home a rebound after Rostov goalie Stipe Pletikosa deflected Quincy Promes’ sharp-angled shot.

But Grigoriev headed in Rostov’s winning goal off Kalachev’s cross from the right with eight minutes to go.

The win lifted Rostov up to 12th and four points above the relegation places.