Russia stun Spain on consequences to make final 8

By Jimmy Rice, news reporter

Russia are into the last eight of their own World Cup after a shock win over Spain on penalties.

The teams could not be separated after 90 and then 120 minutes, signalling the first penalty shoot-out of the 2018 World Cup.

Iago Aspas and Koke both missed from 12 yards, with the shoot-out ending 4-3 inside the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.

Image: Russian players celebrate their penalties win over Spain in the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

Image: A dejected Koke pictured after missing Spain's third penalty

Image: Midfielder Denis Cheryshev celebrates after scoring in the shoot-out

Spain join Germany, Argentina and Portugal as the fancied teams eliminated.

They had taken the lead on 12 minutes after Sergei Ignashevich deflected a Marco Asensio free-kick into his own net.

But the Russians levelled from the spot shortly before half-time, Artem Dzyuba converting after Gerard Pique handled the ball.

Image: Spain's Gerard Pique handles the ball in the box to concede a penalty

Image: Sergei Ignashevich deflects a Marco Asensio free-kick into his own net

Russia were not expected to progress past the group stage but now find themselves alongside France and Uruguay as the first teams to qualify for the last eight.

Attention now turns to the 7pm kick-off between Denmark and Croatia.

England play Colombia for a place in the quarters on Tuesday, with Spain's elimination meaning their half of the draw is now even less perilous.

By Moscow correspondent Diana Magnay

As shocks go, this is up there with the defending champions Germany being knocked out in the group stages. Russia are now through to the quarter-finals, beating 2010 world champions Spain. Fairly and squarely. On penalties.

Spain will feel hard done by, having had the lion's share of possession through the match. But two saves from Russia's Igor Akinfeev showed that once you get to penalties, anything goes.

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The Spanish team couldn't have had a worse start to this World Cup, with their manager sacked on the eve of the tournament. They managed to qualify first in their group and were expected to ease past the hosts. But then Iago Aspas took that final penalty. And it was saved, by the outstretched left foot of a keeper who will go down in Russian footballing legend. Taking Russia, the lowest-ranked team of the tournament, into the quarter-finals.

This is not a result any Russian expected. The success of the team has been met with joy and incredulity by a nation who can hardly believe how exciting this tournament is and how much fun the fans are having. Russia now marches on to face Croatia or Denmark in the quarter-finals. And after this result, the nation dares to dream that their much maligned national team could go even further.

This brings forward the intriguing possibility that should England win their next two games, and Russia progress to the semi-finals, it could be England facing Russia on 11 July. England have Colombia first this Tuesday, and either Sweden or Switzerland after that. But as with so much in football, and in Russia too, anything's possible.

Original Article

World

January 02, 2019