RUSSIA BEAT SPAIN ON PENALTIES
What late drama! We had 120 minutes of the most painful, excruciating brand of football. Russia were outstanding in defence. Spain simply sat back but did little to do anything of note. There was little intensity, penetration or urgency from the Spaniards. There should be an inquest into the La Roja playing this brand of football. The federation should take some of the blame too, sacking a coach just days before a tournament.
This team was a shadow of what they were for the last two years. Is Hierro the man to take them forward? Probably not. Like Germany, Spain need a clearout too and pas the baton to young, able legs. The good part is that they have an abundance of talent waiting in the wings. Russia were gutsy, brave and defended like their lives depended on it. They fully deserved the win. Overall, though, this was a very poor advert for football.
SPAIN 3-4 RUSSIA ASPAS MISSES!! RUSSIA ARE THROUGH TO THE QUARTER-FINALS. The striker went straight down and the ball hits Akinfeev’s legs and goes out. The Russian bench rush onto the field.
SPAIN 3-4 RUSSIA Cheryshev scores, it’s match-point for Russia. Once again, it’s straight down the middle and De Gea goes to the right. Russians have been composed with their penalties and De Gea once again couldn’t his hands down on time.
SPAIN 3-3 RUSSIA Ramos scores. He stutters too but has no trouble putting it into the net.
SPAIN 2-3 RUSSIA Golovin steps up and drills it into the middle. Russia take the lead.
SPAIN 2-2 RUSSIA KOKE MISSES! Akinfeev dives the right way, low and bottom right and the ball is parried away.
SPAIN 2-2 RUSSIA Ignaschevich also scores. Stuttering run-up and De Gea goes the wrong way. All square again
SPAIN 2-1 RUSSIA Pique gives Spain the lead again. Akinfeev dives the wrong way, cool penalty under the circumstances.
SPAIN 1-1 RUSSIA All square. Smolov steps up, De Gea dives the right way but the ball hit the corner of the net.
SPAIN 1-0 RUSSIA Iniesta sends Akinfeev the wrong way, Spain lead. It was low into the bottom corner
Spain win the coin toss and Ramos decides that his team will kick first
Penalties will decide the outcome of the contest.
END OF EXTRA TIME
120’ The ball deflects off the Russian defensive wall and Rodrigo sees space opening up in front of him. His shot lacked zip in the pouring rain and it’s a regulation take for Akinfeev.
119’ Iniesta makes a run into the box and the ball goes out of play. Penalty shootout looming.
117’ Normal service resumes. Spain’s training ground/sleepwalking routine of passing continues. There is a little more intensity from the men in red now.
116’ Russia have a corner, Smolov wins it. The Luzhniki Stadium is buzzing as the Russians sense their team pulling off something extraordinary.
114’ Spanish players are furious that a penalty wasn’t awarded. The referee uses VAR and he decides to resume play. NO PENALTY, it would have been extremely unfair had it been pointed to the spot.
113’ Spain have a free-kick on the left flank. Koke lines up to take it.
111’ Spain continue to win fouls, Aspas this time makes a surging run inside the box but the Russian defence is alert once again to dislodge the ball and clear. Spain start again, what else?
108’ FINALLY! A quality attack from Spain. Rodrigo plays a clever dummy down the right flank, bursts forward, plays a dummy and takes a shot. Akinfeev was up for the challenge and he pushes the ball away. The Russian defence regrouped in time to clear.
106’ Russians make a rare entry in the Spain half. It’s quickly stubbed out by the defenders. Spain have now completed 1000 passes in the game...and we continue to count. Russia continue to give nothing away at the back.
It’s half-time in extra-time
104’ Isco is fouled on the left flank, some 35 yards from goal. Koke takes the free-kick, Pique’s header is calmly dealt with by Akinfeev.
103’ Spain also make their fourth substitute. Rodrigo comes comes on for Asensio.
100’ We have reached the 100-minute mark and Asensio takes a shot from outside the area. The ball had a bit of sting but nothing that would trouble Akinfeev.
Russia make a fourth substitute, a first of its kind in World Cup history. Erkohin comes off and in comes Kuziaev.
95’ Busquets plays a backheel pass under no pressure. That has been Spain’s most interesting move of the match, truth be told.
91’ Where was this Spain all through this contest? Isco scurries forward to the byline and tries to make a cut-back but Carvajal from the goalmouth couldn’t get a foot on it.
Full-time: It’s extra-time for the first time. So far, it has been one of the most underwhelming contests in the whole tournament.
90+2’ Russia take it to the edge of the Spanish area. Smolov take a shot but it’s well wide of the goal.
89’ Ramos gets a header from near the edge of the box and it goes well over the bar. That could well be the last bit of action we are witnessing in normal time.
88’ Spain still patrolling the Russian area. The boos ring louder at Moscow. Spain earn three corners in a row. Can they make something of it?
84’ SHOT! Iniesta gets one one on target and the ball is palmed away by Akinfeev. The rebound goes to Aspas, whose shot goes across the face of goal.
81’ Nope, nothing has changed. There is a hand-ball appeal against Ignashevich but the referee waves play on.
79’ Aspas replaces Diego Costa as Spain use their second substitute.
75’ Another long, excruciating spell of Spanish possession nearly put Iniesta through on goal but he couldn’t control it. Diego Costa had played a fine reverse ball from the edge of the area.
70’ YELLOW CARD for Zobnin after what looks like a crunching challenge on Alba. The referee has a word with the Russian before forking out his card.
Nacho comes off and in comes Carvajal
68’ We have had Iniesta, Ramos, Isco and Pique passing the ball from flank to flank for a whole couple of minutes.
David Silva is the man who makes way for Iniesta
63’ Dzyuba now comes off and in comes Smolov. Andres Iniesta is ready to come on for Spain.
61’ Russia get a foul after Fernandes goes easily to ground after brushing Ramos’s arm. The Spanish captain feigns innocence.
Samedov comes on and in comes Denis Cheryshev
58’ More of sideways passing and very little penetration from them men in red and blue. There are loud boos that ring across the stadium.
55’ Russia’s struggles to get the ball out of their half continues. Spain continue to see a lot of the ball without troubling their opponents.
53’ YELLOW CARD for Kutepov. Spain have a free-kick on the left flank this time.
52’ For the first time in the game, Silva is asking questions to the Spanish defence. He tried to free up Alba with a clever one-two but Kutepov put in a smart sliding challenge.
50’ Costa heads the ball, Koke takes the free-kick. The result? The ball went well over the bar.
49’ After a little bit of stoppage in play, Spain are back to their pass-the-ball-to-death strategy. La Roja now have a free-kick on the right flank.
46’ Spain start with promise in the second half. Isco and Nacho team up on the right flank. A cross is sent in and Alba ghosts into the area. His finish is poor and it turns into a routine one for Akinfeev. The shot (?) came off Alba’s thigh.
The players are back for the second half. Hope we are served with a better fare than the first period.
Half-time: SPAIN 1-1 RUSSIA
Both teams have been below par. Spain have reverted back to 2010 mode, passing opponents to death. Russia, meanwhile, sprang to life in the last five minutes. They worked hard to get the equaliser. The hosts would need a bigger effort to take the lead. Game on!
45+1’ Who would have predicted that? There is suddenly an intensity about this contest. They have the ball. Dzyuba and Ramos tussle for the ball but the referee blows the whistle.
44’ OHH! Almost. There is some urgency in the Spanish attacks now. Costa runs clear and tries to lift it past Akinfeev but the ball hits the goalkeeper and falls safely but not far away from the goalline.
That was also the 26th penalty in the World Cup.
The Luzhniki Stadium is shaking. De Gea went the wrong way. The Russian striker’s penalty was hammered low into the bottom corner. Game on!
42’ GOAL!! SPAIN 1-1 RUSSIA (DZYUBA)
From a corner, Dzyuba’s header hit Pique’s flailing arm. The Spanish players pretest vehemently. The Barcelona defender also goes into the book.
PENALTY FOR RUSSIA
37’ Good spell of Russian pressure as they try their best to cut open the Spanish defence.
35’ CLOSE – that was the first attempt that the Russians made today. It was a quick break, once again well set up by Zobnin. Golovin from the left tries to curl it to the top corner, but the ball goes just wide of De Gea’s left.
31’ Russia continue chase shadows. The crowd, we are guessing bored by the proceedings, break into a Mexican wave.
28’ Got to admire Spain’s commitment in seeing off any sign of a Russian attack. The hosts attack down the right flank through Zobnin and through Samedov at the edge of the area. It is calmly dealt with by the Spanish defence and Russia still can’t get a shot away.
Ahem...
24’ There was an interesting attack that was developing down the left flank but the ball harmfully rolls out of play. Alba started it and try to play a quick one-two with Koke. The final ball from the Atletico midfield was over-hit.
22’ This is interesting. Russia have a free-kick in a dangerous area. The crowd express their ire after Ramos commits a foul.
21’ Pass, pass, pass, pass, pas and the ball rolls to keeper Akinfeev. Spain are in no hurry to build on their attacks.
17’ A careless reverse pass from Alba sees Russia win back possession. Their spell on the ball was short-lived.
15’ After what seems like an eternity, Spain finally get the ball to the edge of the area. Koke takes a lovely first touch but he is immediately dispossessed.
12’ Russia look for a quick break but Spain are alert to see out the danger. Spain’s possession dominance continue.
Ramos is claiming it and he wouldn’t mind it. The cross was floated in by Asensio from the right after Zhirkov had given away a clumsy foul with a tackle on Nacho. At the far post, Ramos and Ignashevich were involved in a grappling contest, the ball clipped the Russian veteran and rolled into the net.
10’ GOAL!! SPAIN 1-0 RUSSIA (Own goal)
7’ Russia are sitting deep and are inviting pressure. They get a brief respite when Samedov and Golovin threatened to catch France off guard on the counter.
5’ This is more like the Spain of the yesteryear, pressing aggressively and holding on to the ball. Russia are having to endure an extremely long spell of Spanish possession.
3’....and they do. And Golovin wins a corner with a powerful run down the left flank. Ramos clears.
2’ The Russians are not able to dislodge the ball off Spain.
1’ Slow start to proceedings. Spain have the ball. They are patiently building up an attack and predictably, there are loud boos from the Russian crowd.
The players are ready to come out of the tunnel:
Russia and Spain played a thrilling 3-3 draw a few months ago. The countdown to kick-off continues. This is the first time Russia are playing a round of 16 match in their history.
6:50 pm: An encouraging stat for Russia: Spain have never beaten a host nation in the World Cup. They lost to Italy over two legs in 1934, Brazil thrashed them 6-1 in 1950. They also lost to Korea Republic in the quarter-finals in 2002.
6:34 pm: Remember, Spain beat Soviet Union 2-1 to lay their hands on their first major tournament – the 1964 Euros
6:25 pm: Little surprise from Russia but Spain have made a couple of surprise moves. Smolov continues to play the role of an impact substitute for Russia. Meanwhile, Spain are going for a little more directness in attack. Nacho continues to play at right-back with Dani Carvajal still struggling with the injury he suffered in the Champions League final.
In Koke, Asensio, Isco and David Silva, there is a lot of creativity in the middle of the park. The big news is that Andres Iniesta starts from the bench. The roles of Jordi Alba and Nacho are paramount with Spain playing narrow. As for Russia, Igor Smolnikov is out following the red card he received against Uruguay.
6:17 pm: Meanwhile, Sergio Ramos could be making his 17th World Cup appearance, a joint national record with former captain Iker Casillas. Meanwhile, before most of you were born Hierro and Cherchesov have faced each other as opponents for Real Madrid and Spartak Moscow respectively.
6:15 pm: Spain have scored 98 goals in World Cups. Only Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and France have scored more than 100 goals.
6:06 pm: Spain conceded five goals in three games and have looked vulnerable at the back. Here is Ashish Magotra’s take on a Spain – READ
6:03 pm: Russia striker Artem Dzyuba has been one of his team’s best performers. Here’s him talking about the biggest game of his life.
6:00 pm: Did you know, Spain completed 2089 passes during the group stages?
Hello and welcome to the live updates of the third round of 16 match, which will see hosts Russia face the mighty Spaniards. Russia can take solace in knowing that they earned more points in the group stages than their opponents, winning two of their games. The first time they came against an opponent of pedigree, they were left exposed. Uruguay outclassed Russia in the first half. After going 0-2 and a man down, Russia could not find their way back in the game.
During the build-up to the World Cup, the Russians were heavily criticised by the local press for their tepid performances. This could turn into a long evening if Spain up their ante. So far, the Spaniards have been flat, and have leaked goals – as many as five of them already.
David de Gea has surprisingly been erratic while the lack of width going forward is something that has been discussed since the tournament. Meanwhile, it is going to be a huge test for Fernando Hierro, who took over just days before Spain’s opening game. After lifting the World Cup for the first time in 2010, this is the first non-knockout match that Spain will be playing. Hope we have a day as good as yesterday, which produced two edge-of-the-seat thrillers.