Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was the hero as Spain crashed out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, losing to hosts, Russia on penalties onSunday at the Luzhniki Stadium.
The hosts won 4-3 on penalties after full time ended 1-1.
The win was Russia’s first in seven meetings against Spain having lost four games and drawn twice.
An own goal from Sergei Ignashevich gave Spain 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
Artem Dzyuba levelled scores for Russia in the 41st from the penalty spot after Gerard Pique had handled in the box.
Spain started well despite leaving out Andreas Iniesta from the starting line-up and created three chances before they broke the deadlock.
Ignashevich inadvertently squeezed in Marco Asensio’s cross from a free-kick to hand Spain the lead.
The own goal saw Russia become the first team to score multiple own goals in a World Cup tournament since 1966, when Bulgaria conceded two.
In the second half, Spain dominated possession and play but failed to carve out chances to score the winner as the game went into extra-time.
Both teams had decent chances to score but were not clinical.
Russia were resolute in defending, limiting Spain to just one shot on target in the first half of extra ?-time.
In the shootout, Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos all scored for Spain but Koke and Iago Aspas’s kicks were saved by captain Akinfeev.
For Russia Smolov, Ignashevich, Aleksandr Golovin and Denis Cheryshev scored their respective kicks to send them through to the next round of the competition.
Russia join past host Brazil, Germany, Korea Republic and France to win a shoot out in the last four editions of the competition.
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COMMENTS
Spain was favored in their last game against Morocco who played much better and was denied a clear penalty. I’m glad one of the dirtiest players in Europe, Sergio Ramos will get to watch the WC like the rest of us. The guy even cried after losing, forgetting his own advice to Salah after he dislocated his shoulder: that he should have picked himself up and played on. Well, Ramos was not even injured, yet was crying like a baby. Karma, karma, karma.