Chechen underdogs win Russian Cup

The son of assassinated leader Akhmad Kadyrov joined the celebrations

A football club from the troubled republic of Chechnya has won the Russian Cup for the first time.

Terek Grozny, who only made it to the first division this year, scored in injury time to overcome favourites Kryliya Sovietov Samara and win 1-0.

The victory is all the more remarkable for the fact that the Chechen team did not exist four years ago.

Their former stadium lies in ruins, and home games are played away from Grozny because of safety fears.

After Friday's win in Moscow, the team will be representing Russia in the Uefa Cup and must now find a suitable venue for their Uefa campaign.

Victory celebrations

"I dedicate this win to all the Chechen people," said Andrei Fedkov, who scored the winning goal, Reuters news agency reported.

About 5,000 Chechen fans travelled to the match and the supporters "celebrated like children", Russian television reported.

"Our task is to show that in Chechnya there are not just bandits and terrorists, but also normal people," general-director Lom-Ali Ibragimov told Reuters before the game.

Terek Grozny was disbanded in 1994 during the first Chechen war.

It reformed in 2001 and now has the backing of the pro-Moscow authorities.

"At last everyone will know Chechens are peaceful people who know how to play football," he added.

The game came three weeks after the Moscow-backed President Akhmad Kadyrov was assassinated in a bomb attack in Grozny.

A rebel Chechen warlord claimed responsibility for the killing.

A minute's silence was held before the match in memory of Kadyrov, and a portrait of him was displayed over one of the stands.

Mr Kadyrov's son Ramzan, who was made deputy head of the Chechen government, attended the match.