Spain v Russia - That Roar You Heard Is From Russia. Its Team Sent Spain Packing - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Match 51
We have a saying in Russia, Stanislav Cherchesov told reporters from behind his fearsome mustache on Saturday afternoon.
“Anyone,” said Cherchesov, the coach of Russia’s World Cup team, “can be a god if he tries.”
The statement — made a day before Russia would play Spain in the World Cup’s round of 16 — was both pushback and premonition. Cherchesov knew what everyone was thinking: that his Russia team, the lowest-ranked in the field, had surpassed expectations as the host of the World Cup but would surely reach the end of the line when it took on Spain, a former world and European champion.
But Cherchesov seemed to know better. He thought his team had more to give. And he was right.
In a stunning upset, Russia eliminated Spain on penalty kicks, 4-3, after a 1-1 tie on Sunday that extended through 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time.
The long day finally ended when the Russian goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeev, kicked away Iago Aspas’s fifth penalty attempt for Spain. The Russians had been dominated throughout the game, but a penalty kick by Artem Dzyuba before halftime allowed them to tie the score at 1-1, and a gritty, disciplined, defensive effort ultimately led to the penalty shootout — and to a result that many had considered unthinkable.
Cherchesov and Russia now have any number of players to toast as they begin to look ahead to their next game, on Saturday in Sochi, where they will play a quarterfinal match against Croatia, which won its own penalty-shootout battle on Sunday against Denmark.
One hero, for sure, is Akinfeev, who saved two of Spain’s five penalties. Then there is Dzyuba, who created and then converted the penalty that drew Russia level in a game in which it appeared comically overmatched at times. And maybe Sergey Ignashevich, the 38-year-old center back, who was drafted into the World Cup squad late in Russia’s preparations. He has played every minute of this tournament, and he anchored the five-man defensive back line with the leadership and the direction to hold off Spain again and again.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” midfielder Aleksandr Golovin said. “To be honest, I do not even know what to do right now. We are in some kind of dream, a fairy tale.”
To say Russia played Spain to a draw was technically true. But in reality Spain played and Russia chased for most of the match inside the cavernous Luzhniki Stadium. Spain was content to keep possession of the ball after an early goal and Russia was, well, content to let Spain have it.
One hero, for sure, is Akinfeev, who saved two of Spain’s five penalties. Then there is Dzyuba, who created and then converted the penalty that drew Russia level in a game in which it appeared comically overmatched at times. And maybe Sergey Ignashevich, the 38-year-old center back, who was drafted into the World Cup squad late in Russia’s preparations. He has played every minute of this tournament, and he anchored the five-man defensive back line with the leadership and the direction to hold off Spain again and again.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” midfielder Aleksandr Golovin said. “To be honest, I do not even know what to do right now. We are in some kind of dream, a fairy tale.”
To say Russia played Spain to a draw was technically true. But in reality Spain played and Russia chased for most of the match inside the cavernous Luzhniki Stadium. Spain was content to keep possession of the ball after an early goal and Russia was, well, content to let Spain have it.
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