Rubin Kazan 0-0 Dynamo Kiev

Rubin Kazan missed the opportunity to heap the pressure on Champions League Group F rivals Barcelona after sharing a drab 0-0 draw with Dynamo Kiev at the Centralniy Stadium.

Chances were created in the first half, but neither side was able to capitalise and the second was a pretty turgid affair with inventive forward play at a premium in conditions not conducive to expansive football.
Heavy sleet and a distinct lack of quality ensured that the play was scrappy at a very blustery Centralniy, with the temperatures lingering just above zero.
Kiev knew that a defeat would see them eliminated from the competition, and the visitors played with all due circumspection as they extended their record to just one win from 14 European away games, losing nine and failing to score in 10.
The opening period was most noteable for a stunning save from Kiev goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskyy, who kept the match goalless on the stroke of half-time with an acrobatic stop.
The first chance in the fifth minute arose as Andriy Shevchenko (pictured) surged down the right and dragged a low cross into the six-yard box but his delivery evaded two Rubin defenders and was met by Andriy Yarmolenko at the back post, who scuffed his shot wide.
Rubin, who won the Russian Premier League at the weekend, dominated the early possession, but another chance was forced at the other end in the 12th minute as Milos Ninkovic bundled his way into the penalty area at pace but his final touch was shoddy as the hosts were handed a reprieve.
At the other end, Rubin almost made their build-up play count three minutes later as Gokdeniz Karadeniz whipped in a devilish delivery from the right which the dangerous Alejandro Dominguez met, unmarked in the penalty area, but his header was tame.
Dominguez was a constant threat and on the half-hour mark the Argentine danced through two Kiev challenges but Shovkovskyy just about had his shot covered at his near post following a promising run.
As half-time was imminent, Dominguez produced a stunning acrobatic over-head kick which he directed low into the bottom corner, but Shovkovskyy somehow managed to flick the ball wide with an outrageous piece of reflex goalkeeping.
The second half was as fragmented as the first on the most part, with Shevchenko's most notable contribution being a robust challenge on Alexander Bukharov, for which he received a yellow card with the striker bearing ominously down on goal.
Shevchenko then contrived to miss his kick inside the Rubin penalty area after Artem Milevskiy had made an incisive run through the hosts' half and squared the ball to the forward.
The final period of play petered out poorly as neither side was able to seize the initiative, despite making second half changes, and the stalemate was not broken late on.
The draw leaves limits the pressure applied to Barcelona as they face Internazionale at the Camp Nou as the fight for qualification spots from Group F intensifies as Rubin recorded their fourth match unbeaten.