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Russia have sent Spain home away from the 2018 FIFA World Cup which they are hosting after penalties shootout which ended 3 – 4 in favour of the hosts.
The match had initially ended 1-1 at full-time with Russia scoring both goals in the first half of the Round of 16match played at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Sergei Ignashevich opened the score line with an own goal in the 12th minute.
Artem Dzyuba would later convert a goal from the penalty spot in the 41st minute so see the first half end 1-1.
Hosts Russia have advance to quarter-finals in Sochi on 7 July and will be playing against the winner Croatia/Denmark match which is still underway as at the time of publishing this report.
The referee awarded a penalty kick to Russia after Gerard Pique prevents a goalscoring chance for Russia with his arm.
After Dzyuba won another battle in the air against Pique – which resulted in the penalty – he took the spot kick himself to send David De Gea the wrong way and score his third goal of the tournament.
Dzyuba is the first player to score a goal for Russia (or Soviet Union) in the World Cup knockout stages since Igor Belanov netted a hat-trick in a 4-3 defeat against Belgium in the 1986 Round of 16.
The early own goal made things easier for Spain despite Russian defenders working hard to stop Asensio, Isco and Co.
Also, the midfielders and those on the right – including the reintroduced Nacho – cut out the counter attacks but De Gea could not stop the penalty after Pique’s handball.
A very solid first half by Russia had ended on a positive note as both goals came from set pieces – which are proving to be vital at this World Cup.
Zhirkov’s foul on Nacho was then punished by Sergio Ramos’s pressure on Ignashevich. But later on the hosts made the game more even and had a couple of chances of their own.
For the hosts the most impressive performance was the goal scorer: Dzyuba. He won almost every battle in the air today.
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Spain continued pressing Russia and playing most of their football in the final third, but can’t find a cutting edge – partly because of Russia’s strong defensive play.
With Cheryshev’s and Dzyuba’s three goals each at this World Cup, it makes the first time since 1966 that Russia have two players on at least three goals at a single World Cup final.
The duo of Valeri Porkujan (four) and Eduard Malofeyev (three) were in fine form at England 1966.
Iniesta would later come in as a substitute to replace Silva making it his 14th World Cup appearance for Spain, and also the first time he has been substituted into a match at the World Cup finals.
Russia continue to defend deep while Spain maintain possession in their attacking half but are finding very little room to operate to create space to attack.
Russia’s goalkeeper was on top of his game, making a save after save.
Then came the penalty which continued to fly in shot after shot until Akinfeev made the crucial save sending the hosts to the quarter-finals!
Russia reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the second time in history, after they achieved the feat in 1966.
After the match, Man of the Match Akinfeev said:”I’m not the man of the match, the man of the match is our team and our fans.”
Spanish head coach, Fernando Hierro, meanwhile was full of praises Iniesta, saying:
“We came here with ambition and we empathize with our people, those that came all the way to Russia.
“I give my whole hearted recognition to one of the greatest players of our history. He’s an outstanding professional.
“The way he played on the pitch when he substituted on was like he was playing in his first cap and I want to thank him whole-heartedly.”
