BY DAMOLA EMMANUEL
There were two instant parties immediately after Spain/Russia Group of 16 match was won and lost at the ultra-modern Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Sunday. Wild parties of victory across the host nation, and mourning party (if there is anything like that) in Spain.
These were sequel to the 3-4 elimination of Spain, via penalties, by a rugged Russian team that appeared to have come into the game gunning not for outright victory within regulation time and extra time but penalty shoot-out. And that was exactly what they got, after drawing the game 1-1 within regulation time and extra time.
If there was a chief mourner in Spain, on Sunday, it was their monarch, King Felipe VI, who watched the breath-taking encounter with Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, and FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.
The King visited the national team, shortly after they lost in the penalty shoot-out, to encourage them.
Spain were the clear favourites to grab the quarter final ticket. Bookmakers even listed them among favourites for the cup. And they came determined to achieve just that. But they met a stone wall in a water-tight Russian defence which frustrated every move.
Though they have crashed out of the World Cup, Spain set a record as the team with the highest number of passes in World Cup history. In all, Spain sprayed a confetti of passes totalling 1,029, according to FIFA’s in-game analysis.
That translates to more than eight passes per minute. The figure is also higher than what 12 of the 32 participating teams made in all three group-stage games. That is not discounting Spain’s 74 percent possession of the ball.
However, that intimidating statistics didn’t translate to victory as rugged Russia carried the day. Spain’s goal in the 1-1 full-time draw was an own goal by Russian defender Sergei Ignashevich who accidentally netted the ball with the back of his leg as he challenged Sergio Ramos during a free kick melee.
That was in the 12th minute. But Spain levelled in the 42nd minute through Artyom Dzyuba, whose perfect kick from the penalty spot caught Russian goalkeeper Akinfeev napping.
Spain had an opportunity for a penalty after both Ramos and Pique were tackled inside the box during a scrambled engendered by Koke’s free-kick. But the referee ruled out penalty after consulting the VAR.
When the referee blew off the game to pave way for penalties, the capacity Russian crowd at the stadium went ecstatic. You would have thought they had won the World Cup, judging from the ear-tearing decibel of the host nation’s ecstasy.
Goalkeeper Akinfeev became a national hero as he saved the day for Russia, stopping kicks from Koke and Lago Aspas to seal the game at 4-3.
