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SCORE: (Ignashevich (OG) 12') Spain 1-1 Russia(AET) (Dzyuba 41'); Russia win 4-3 on penalties.
Spain would've been delighted by the prospect of facing Russia after managing to steal the top spot in Group B in the final moments against Morocco. The hosts themselves have been enjoying a sensational run in the 2018 World Cup, ensuring progression into the knockout rounds for the first time since the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
They blew past Saudi Arabia in the opener, dispensed off Egypt and, despite the defeat against Uruguay, ensured progression into the Round of Sixteen. Logic suggested that this was as far as they would go and Spain were heavy favourites to trounce the hosts on their way to the quarterfinals.
As it turned out, Russia held firm for 90 minutes, came up with an equalizer after conceding an early own-goal and forced extra-time, thanks to some body-on-the-line and mind-over-matter defending. Then came penalties, followed by one of the most unbelievable results in World Cup History!
Here are the Talking Points:
#5 Another freak goal under Spain's column
This World Cup has seen 132 goals so far and we've seen some scintillating ones, but we've also had a fair share of 'freak' goals. There have been a number of own goals so far, Spain benefitting from the latest one as Ignashevich scored at the wrong end as far as Russia were concerned.
He did not know about much about it, but Ignashevich scored the tenth own goal at Russia 2018, extending the record for most at a single edition. The 38-year-old was marking Sergio Ramos tightly on a free-kick, turned his back to the incoming cross and the ball redirected off his boot and into his own net.
Spain have been getting the rub of the green in a number of important encounters. Apart from the own-goal on the night, the attempted clearance deflecting off Costa into Iran's goal was vital to their progression to the Round of Sixteen and they got out of jail in their final group stage encounter against Morocco.
#4 Russia battle their way back to parity
The worst thing that could happen, for any neutral, was Spain taking an early lead. That would mean that the Europeans could sit on their lead and pass it about without really threatening in the final third. Alternatively, if Russia took the lead it would mean that Spain would have to come out and play, and that would afford Russia the opportunity to break on the counter and that in turn, would make for interesting viewing.
Unfortunately, it was the former which came true. However, Russia stepped up to the task and, despite the relative lack of skill and flair, began pushing Spain out of their half and into their own. They threatened to hit back with an equalizer as the lively Aleksandr Golovin came close from the edge of the box; not enough curl on the ball to bring it back inside the far post.
Russia then managed to battle and earn a corner and the noise levels at the Luzhniki Stadium began to rise. They got higher as Pique's mindless decision to throw his hand in the air after the ball had passed him resulted in the referee awarding a penalty. No doubt about it, Dzyuba's header struck Pique's ill-placed left hand.
Dzyuba stepped up and became the first player to score a goal for Russia in the World Cup knockout stages since Igor Belanov netted a hat-trick for then-Soviet Union in a 4-3 defeat against Belgium in the 1986 Round of 16.
#3 And we go into 30 minutes of extra-time for the first time in Russia
Spain had to force the issue after being pegged back by Russia and an unending sequence of trying to pass their way through the opposition commenced but the minnows held firm. They hassled and harried Spain as soon as they approached their penalty area, didn't afford the Spaniards even an inch inside it, and made a nuisance of themselves by getting in the faces of the opposition, yes, including Diego Costa's.
But now they had to wage war for another thirty minutes with their energy levels considerably diminished. it takes a lot more out of you if you have to do all the running without the ball, covering spaces, keeping your shape and tracking your runners. Russia would've been more than happy to go straight to penalties if they had anything to do with it.
Normal service resumed from the restart with Spain looking to put the game to bed as soon as possible. You could see that the men in red and blue were finding a couple of extra yards of space that wasn't afforded to them in 90 minutes of regulation time. It would be a long 30 minutes for Russia.
#2 Russia Roulette with the penalty shootout
Despite the seemingly impossible, Russia dug deep within themselves to weather the Spanish storm and the actual storm that had now started interfering with proceedings.
As the rain poured down, Russia refused to wither away and made sure that the match went all the way to the raffle draw of the penalty shoot-out. Two tosses of the coin decided on which end of the pitch the penalties would be taken and who would go first.
Russia won the first one and decided to take it at the end thronged with their supporters, which could've been any end really. Sergio Ramos decided that Andres Iniesta would start the shootout and put Spain on the board. F. Smolov stepped up to level it up and so did Pique and S. Ignashevich.
It was Koke's turn to take the penalty and he nervously lifted it to the right of the keeper who made the save. Pandamonium in the stadium as Russia took the lead through A. Golovin. Sergio Ramos and D. Cheryshev both put their penalties away which meant that Aspas had to score his or Spain would be knocked out.
He missed and Russia had the biggest victory in their history!
#1 Spain knocked out by the hosts in the biggest upset of the 2018 World Cup
We've had some unbelievable upsets so far in Russia: Iceland holding and Croatia beating Argentina, Peru beating Australia, Iran holding Portugal and beating Morocco, Switzerland holding Brazil.
But without a doubt, we were treated to the biggest upset in the competition bar none as the South Koreans plotted their way to the most historic victory in their recent history and the holding champions, Germany, were humbled on the biggest stage in world football. It would take something extremely special to top that result.
And the hosts came up with just that. In one of the most unbelievable outcomes in international football history, Russia managed to edge past the heavily favoured Spain, to move into the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time in their history.
What a World Cup this is turning out to be. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is going according to script or logic or belief! More of the same, please!
