Russian champions Rubin Kazan on Wednesday kept alive their hopes of advancing to the knock-out stages of the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over FC Copenhagen in a Group D game played in Kazan, DPA reported.
Captain Cristian Noboa scored the only goal of the game in first- half injury time from the penalty spot after Jesper Gronkjaer handled the ball in the area.
In bitterly cold conditions, the visitors tried to come back into the match in the second half and were unlucky not to find an equalizer late in the game when Dame N'Doye saw his shot bounce against the cross-bar.
The Senegalese striker was also denied a penalty three minutes from the end when he was pulled down in the area, but referee Martin Atkinson waved play on.
Goalkeeper Sergei Ryzhikov saved the win for his side in injury time when he pulled off a point-blank save from substitute Kenneth Zohore.
The victory, which was their first in this season's Champions League campaign, takes the Russian club to third with six points, from five matches, while Copenhagen remain on seven.
Log leaders Barcelona, who are on eight points, are away to Panathinaikos Athens in a later game, knowing that a victory in Greece will ensure them first place in the group.