FIFA World Cup 2018: Spain suffer a shocking exit at the hands of the hosts Russia

Russia witnesses a memorable day

The hosts secure a penalty shoot-out victory

Russia has now progressed into the quarter-finals

Spain's exit has set the footballing world by storm

Spain Vs Russia

Ignashevich 12' (OG)

Dzyuba 41' (P)

Match Highlights

Russia win on penalties

(3-4)

Iniesta ✔️

Smolov ✔️

Pique ✔️

Ignashevich ✔️

Koke ✖️

Golovin ✔️

Ramos ✔️

Cheryshev ✔️

Iago Aspas  ✖️

"Russia has beaten Spain and qualify for the quarter-finals," this statement will stay with the Russian players and fans for many years to come after the hosts pulled a shock upset by beating the 2010 Champions. 

Heading into this game, Spain who had stumbled their way into the last-16 was still the likeliest team to win but the hosts pulled off the biggest upset in the competition so far. 

Spain sprung into the lead after a tight tussle in the box with Sergio Ramos saw the ball flick last off Sergei Ignashevich's heel who also became the oldest own goal scorer ever in a World Cup campaign. 

This strike was canceled out in the 41st minute as Gerard Pique's alleged handball in the box awarded Russia a spot-kick which was calmly converted by Artem Dzyuba.

Russia did their best to keep the scoreline at 1-1 as their hero Igor Akinfeev made nearly 12 saves throughout the game, taking it for a penalty shoot-out. 

Penalty Shoot-out

Spain's Andreas Iniesta was the first player to take and successfully convert his spot-kick, which was then followed by Russia's Smolov.

Pique took the next Spanish penalty and successfully converted it as did his Russian counterpart Ignashevich.

The game's first decisive moment arrived as Koke's penalty was saved by Akinfeev and Russia's Aleksandr Golovin successfully converted his spot-kick, sending the Russian fans into overdrive.

The 4th set saw Ramos successfully convert his spot-kick, but Russia's Denis Cheryshev scored and handed match-point to his side.

Finally, the telling blow arrived as Iago Aspas' spot-kick was convincingly saved by the legs of Akinfeev and the next moments will live in the hearts of all the Russians for a very long time.

Final Conclusion

Russia did know the coming into this game, it will be very difficult to pull up a victory but they did come with a plan and also with the belief that they can overcome this major obsatcle. One of the biggest motivation of the game was the home crowd who were behind their nation from the getgo.

This was Spain's first ever penalty shootout since nearly a 48-year span and for this particular shootout, they were second best to Russia.

It was a mixed World Cup campaign with the sudden sacking of the now Real Madrid coach Julen Lopeteugi a day before the competition began and the appointment of Fernando Hierro.

An inexperienced and young Spanish side heading into this competition failed to make the type of impact they intended to, but the future of Spanish football is bright.

However, Spain's 2010 hero Andreas Iniesta has announced his international retirement and for some of the senior players such as Pique, Ramos, and Pepe Reina, it maybe their last ever World Cup.