Dinamo are groundsharing with Khimki while their own arena undergoes full reconstruction and looked to be heading for a goalless opening at their temporary home.

That was until former Zenit and Sevilla striker Kerzhakov's late smash-and-grab, meeting Dmitri Kombarov's cross to divert a precision header past Yuri Zhevnov in the first minute of stoppage time to steal all three points for Andrei Kobelev's side.

The result was harsh on the visitors, playing under new coach Miodrag Bozovic for the first time, having dominated for long periods and squandering several clear chances with Aleksei Rebko and Slovakian striker Martin Jakubko the main culprits.

After the game Kobelev admitted his side's performance had not been up to par:

"The first game at a new stadium for us didn't really work out. Our players were not as quick as the opposition, lost the majority of the individual battles and generally our play became unintelligible.

"I'd like to combine good results with good football, but often it just doesn't happen this way."

Rubin Kazan began their defence of the Premier Liga in style with a comfortable 3-0 win over newly-promoted Kuban Krasnodar. Striker Aleksandr Bukharov proved the hero for the home side, side-footing home smartly after 25 minutes before turning provider seven minutes later.

The 24-year-old weaved his way into the visitor's penalty area before laying off for Sergei Semak, whose weak shot squirmed past Kuban goalkeeper Bogdan Karyukin and in to double Rubin's lead.

Kuban, coached by former Russia goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov, rarely threatened and Bukharov broke away to add a third ten minutes into the second half.

In Moscow Lokomotiv and Khimki each left with a share of the spoils after their 1-1 draw.

Khimki led on 27 minutes when Serbian defender Miodrag Jovanovic sent a bullet header past Marek Cech, but twenty minutes into the second half Denis Glushakov levelled proceedings for Lokomotiv, striking home from the edge of the penalty area.

Bozovic's former club Amkar Perm recorded an opening day 0-0 draw at home to newly-promoted Rostov in a match that saw both sides finish with ten men.

Amkar twice had the ball in the Rostov net but both goals were ruled out due to infringements.

Amkar defender Zahari Sirakov and Rostov's North Korean midfielder Hong Yong-Jo were both shown second-yellow cards in an otherwise uneventful curtain-raiser to the Russian season.

end.