MOSCOW – Stretching every part of his body out into a star shape and diving to his right, Igor Akinfeev flicked out his left foot and kicked the ball high away from danger.
Akinfeev’s foot kept Russia’s party going Sunday night, ended the international career of one of Spain’s biggest stars and sealed the biggest upset of the tournament and one of the greatest in World Cup history.
Akinfeev saved two shots during the shootout, while all of his teammates scored to give Russia a 4-3 advantage after a draw that was dominated by Spain in every way but the 1-1 score. Russia – the lowest ranked team in the World Cup at No. 70 in the world – is stunningly going to the quarterfinals to face Croatia on Saturday.
Millions of Russian fans, many of whom were mocking this team just a couple of weeks ago, are jumping loudly on the bandwagon.
“We’re hosting a fantastic tournament,” Akinfeev said. “I think our fans and foreign fans have recognized that we’re a country that can play football and organize big events.”
Akinfeev’s winning save against forward Iago Aspas made the national stadium in Moscow shake with the roar of around 70,000 Russians celebrating their team’s best World Cup run since it was the Soviet Union in 1966.
It was a shocking elimination for Spain, joining former champions Germany and Argentina. Still, World Cup history was on Russia’s side after its well-organized team survived two hours of barely having the ball.
Russia extended a streak of World Cup hosts winning penalty shootouts to five. France, South Korea, Germany and Brazil have also won shootouts since 1998.
Akinfeev ensured that, in the 32-year-old captain’s 111th game for his country.
With Spain taking first, the shootout was poised at 2-2 when Akinfeev dived to his right to push away the kick by Jorge “Koke” Resurreccion. The Atletico Madrid midfielder lifted his shirt over his eyes in dismay.
Russian penalty kickers were perfect against Spain’s struggling goalkeeper David De Gea. After Akinfeev acrobatically blocked the left-footed shot of Aspas, he leapt up, punched the air with both hands and dove into a belly flop cross the rain-soaked turf as teammates raced to him from the halfway line.
“I just feel emptied out,” Akinfeev said. “Over the whole second half and extra time, we were defending our goal and managed it, we were hoping for penalties because Spain are hard to beat.”
It gave Russia its greatest win in 10 years, since Akinfeev was in goal for an extra-time victory over the Netherlands in a European Championship quarterfinal. That run was ended days later by a Spain team beginning its era of dominance.
Spain has now failed to win a knockout game at three major tournaments since it won Euro 2012, its third straight major title after Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
“It’s painful, there’s nothing else we can say,” Spain captain Sergio Ramos said. “We left our soul in the pitch.”
NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia – Danijel Subasic saved three penalties ... and Croatia’s World Cup hopes.
In the second straight shootout of the tournament, the Croats advanced to the quarterfinals on Sunday with a 3-2 victory over Denmark on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Subasic tipped the first penalty of the shootout from Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen onto the post. He then dived to his right to save an attempt from substitute Lasse Schone. Finally, he used his feet to block Nicolai Jorgensen’s attempt.
“He was a hero tonight,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said. “He saved three penalties in a shootout. You don’t see that every day.”
Subasic became only the second goalkeeper to save three penalties in a shootout at the World Cup, matching the feat of Portugal keeper Ricardo against England in 2006.
Croatia will next face host Russia in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Sochi.
Croatia had a chance to take the lead late in the game at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, but Luka Modric’s penalty was saved by Kasper Schmeichel. The Denmark goalkeeper, who also saved a pair of penalties in the shootout, dived to his left to smother Modric’s attempt in the 116th minute.
Subasic’s three saves and Schmeichel’s two made it the most combined saves in a World Cup shootout.
Modric, however, made his penalty in the shootout and Ivan Rakitic scored the decider with a shot to the left side of the net as Schmeichel dived the wrong way.
After surviving the shootout, Subasic had to survive the celebration. Domagoj Vida lifted the keeper onto his shoulders as they celebrated the win, and then dropped him.
“He is fine,” Dalic said.
Croatia entered the match after impressing in the group stage, including a 3-0 dismantling of two-time champion Argentina at the same stadium. But Denmark, unbeaten in 18 games coming into the game, provided tough opposition.
The Danes took the lead in the first minute when defender Mathias Jorgensen scrambled in a shot that went in off Subasic’s left hand and then the left post. It was Denmark’s fastest ever World Cup goal.
Croatia equalized in the fourth minute with another untidy goal. Henrik Dalsgaard’s clearance hit a teammate and fell for Croatia forward Mario Mandzukic to hook the ball in.
The teams stayed even for the next 116 minutes, including the 30 minutes of extra time.
