However, Zico’s game plan shattered 13 minutes in, when Kazan attacker Alejandro Domínguez escaped from the Muscovites’ defense and Pavel Mamaev could do nothing but bring him down. The ref’s response was predictable, and Mamaev was red carded off the pitch.

Rubin didn’t give up their cautious play, despite the advantage in numbers. They controlled the ball well, but it was CSKA who created the biggest chances of the half.

Kazan keeper Sergey Ryzhikov had to show his best skill to save after a header from Ouwo Moussa Maazou and a free-kick from Daniel Carvalho.

The game remained equal in the second half. Rubin continued to wait for CSKA to get tired and make a vital mistake, but they waited too long.

It seemed defeat for CSKA was inevitable, but in the closing moments of the game the Army Men’s midfielder launched a powerful shot from outside the box in the first minute of stoppage time slotting straight into the lower corner, leaving Ryzhikov no chance.

There were four minutes left to play, but the shocked Rubin failed to grab an equalizer, meaning CSKA lift the Russian Cup for the second year in a row.

The Army Men will now have the trophy in permanent keeping as they have won it for the fifth time.

“I congratulate the Army Men with a well-deserved victory. The international experience they have is an invaluable thing, which is especially necessary for such matches. And this experience paid off today. In such games it’s important to endure and to play to the end. These are the things we must learn from CSKA,” Kurban Berdyev, Rubin coach, said to Sport-Express newspaper.