Host Russia shocks Spain in shootout at World Cup

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MOSCOW (AP) – Russia shockingly eliminated Spain from the World Cup, surviving two hours of dominance by the 2010 champions in a 1-1 draw and then winning a penalty shootout 4-3 on Sunday.

Russia’s captain and goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev saved spot-kicks from Jorge “Koke” Resurreccion and Iago Aspas, while all four Russian shooters scored before thousands of screaming home fans.

Akinfeev used his trailing left foot to kick the ball high away from the goal on Spain’s last attempt. The 32-year-old goalkeeper 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.

The World Cup’s lowest-ranked team  – 70th when the tournament began – now advances to a quarterfinal against Croatia or Denmark in Sochi on Saturday.

A Russian-hosted party many feared would see the home team’s hopes end within days now extends into a fourth weekend at the tournament.

“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. Spain can’t always be lucky.”

It gave Russia its greatest win in international soccer for 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 the 2012 European championship, its third straight major title after the Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

It was too passive a performance by the Spanish, who were ranked 10th and one of the pre-tournament favorites. Turmoil erupted two days before the opening game, when the federation fired the head coach.

“It’s painful, there’s nothing else we can say,” Spain captain Sergio Ramos said. “We left our soul in the pitch.”

It is unclear if interim coach Fernando Hierro will continue in the post he did not seek before Julen Lopetegui was sent home. Lopetegui  was fired because he had failed to tell the national soccer federation he accepted an offer to coach Real Madrid after the tournament.

Sunday’s defeat likely spells the end of Andres Iniesta’s national-team career. The 34-year-old Barcelona midfielder came off the bench and almost won the game with an 85th-minute shot well saved by Akinfeev. Iniesta also scored the first spot-kick of the shootout.

Spain was more urgent in extra time after being too passive when it dominated the ball in the 90 minutes of regular time.

Akinfeev pushed away a 109th-minute shot from substitute Rodrigo who ran hard at goal from near the halfway line. He also ensured the game needed 30 extra minutes with back-to-back diving saves in the 85th to deny substitutes Iniesta and Aspas.

Spain dominated the ball during the game – completing more than 1,000 passes – but rarely threatened a well-organized Russian defense.

Spain led in the 12th minute when Ramos helped force Russia’s Sergei Ignashevich into an own goal when his back was turned to the play. The 38-year-old defender diverted a crossed ball into the net with his heel as he and Ramos got tangled up.

An error in Spain’s defense let Russia level in the 41st, after Gerard Pique’s raised arm blocked a header by Artyom Dzyuba at a corner. Pique’s complaints were wasted. Referees and video officials have consistently penalized handballs in the box at this World Cup.

Dzyuba’s penalty kick fooled goalkeeper David De Gea to dive the wrong way.

The noisy 78,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium has been good for Russia at this tournament, which kicked off here with a 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia. That defied expectations for the home team, and Russia’s path to the final also includes a potential semifinal here.

SPECIAL GUESTS

King Felipe VI of Spain was at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The king is a soccer fan who, as crown prince, attended the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg to see Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time.

Russia was represented by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who was on his feet and leaning on a protective barrier to watch the shootout.

FOURTH SUBSTITUTE

World Cup history was made with the first use of a fourth substitute, which FIFA now allows teams to have one more sub in extra time. Russia’s Alexander Yerokhin went on in the 97th minute against Spain, replacing fellow midfielder Daler Kuzyaev. The rule is aimed at reducing injuries and allowing higher-quality play in extra time, when players are most tired.

n Croatia 1, Denmark 1,

Croatia wins 3-2 on penalty kicks

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 with a 3-2 victory over Denmark on penalties following a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Subasic tipped the first penalty 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.

Subasic is only the second goalkeeper to save three penalties in a shootout at the World Cup. The only other man to do it was Portugal keeper Ricardo against England in 2006.

Croatia will next face host Russia in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Sochi. Russia also advanced on penalties, beating Spain 4-3 following another 1-1 draw.

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.

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.

Saturday

n France 4, Argentina 3

KAZAN, Russia – What Lionel Messi has never done, 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe did twice.

The quick-footed French teenager scored two goals in a five-minute span of the second half to help his team rally for a 4-3 victory over Argentina. Saturday’s victory gave France a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Messi, who turned 31 during his fourth and possibly final World Cup, set up a pair of goals but again failed to score in a knockout match at the biggest event in soccer.

Mbappe got his two in his first attempt.

“Of course, as I’ve already and always said, in the World Cup you have all the top level players so it is an opportunity to show what you can do and what your abilities are,” said Mbappe, who now has three goals in Russia. “There is no better place than a World Cup.”

Mbappe was a constant threat to Argentina’s creaking defense with his speed and skill and was at the heart of France’s often-breathtaking display, particularly in the middle of the second half.

He became the second teenager to score multiple goals in a knockout match at the World Cup. Pele was the other, doing it twice at 17 at the 1958 tournament in Sweden.

“It is flattering to be the second one after Pele but let’s put things in context. Pele is another category,” Mbappe said. “But it’s good to be among the players to score in knockout matches.”

With the score 2-2, Mbappe got his first goal with a cool finish from a tight angle in the 64th minute, his low shot going under Argentina goalkeeper Franco Armani. Four minutes later, he slotted past Armani again after he was put through on goal by a deft pass from Oliver Giroud.

Mbappe also helped France to its first goal. Following a sustained period of early pressure, he won a penalty after a 40-meter burst of speed that ended with him being brought down by Marcos Rojo. Antoine Griezmann then scored from the spot in the 13th minute, sending Armani the wrong way.

“Our team is much younger, but we are there. We answered the call,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “It was not easy because we were leading and then there was an equalizer. Then they led 2-1, but we kept fighting. There is an excellent mentality in this group and we did everything to go further. We couldn’t miss it and we did win it.”

Mbappe was born a few months after France won the 1998 World Cup at home, its only title at the tournament. Deschamps was the captain of that team and Zinedine Zidane scored two goals in the final.

“People remember more the World Cup victory than the year I was born,” Mbappe said. “It is normal (because) it was the time we were World Cup winners, so that is obviously what they remember.”

France will next face Uruguay in the quarterfinals on Friday in Nizhny Novgorod. Blaise Matuidi will miss the match after receiving a second yellow card of the tournament.

Argentina briefly took the lead in the 48th minute at Kazan Arena, but France defender Benjamin Pavard equalized nine minutes later with a superb strike from outside the area.

“It is too soon to analyze concrete mistakes we might have made,” Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli said. “I am sure there might have been mistakes.”

Argentina got its goals from Angel Di Maria, Gabriel Mercado and late substitute Sergio Aguero. Messi set up the latter two, first sending a shot on goal that Mercado deflected into the net in the 48th.

With time winding down, Messi gave Argentina a bit of hope with a cross to the left that Aguero headed into goal in stoppage time.

Di Maria’s goal was one of the best of the tournament. Following a throw-in, he hit a hard shot from 30 yards that curled into the top right corner, beyond the dive of France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

“We played against a team that was very, very fast in transitions,” Sampaoli said. “We were able to turn around the match but after a very short time during a very strange play, we lost our advantage.”

For Argentina, it was the first time the team has scored three goals in a competitive match and lost.

For Messi, it means he still has never won a major international title with Argentina.

n Uruguay 2, Portugal 1

SOCHI, Russia – Edinson Cavani upstaged Cristiano Ronaldo, first with his head and then with his right foot, and sent Uruguay to the World Cup quarterfinals.

Cavani scored twice and Ronaldo none Saturday to give Uruguay a 2-1 victory over Portugal.

On the same day Lionel Messi was sent home in Argentina’s loss, the other “GOAT” at this tournament was also eliminated. It was two weeks ago that Ronaldo scored a hat trick in the same stadium against Spain, stroking his chin after the first goal to imply he was the “greatest of all time.”

There was no goal from Ronaldo this time. Everywhere he went, the Portugal great was hounded by two or three Uruguayan defenders.

“We had our chances, but this is football,” Ronaldo said. “We have to keep our heads high. We gave our best. The team played well. As the team captain I am proud of this group. Everyone worked hard to make sure things went well.”

It was Cavani who instead took the spotlight. He combined with Luis Suarez to compete a series of precision passes to give Uruguay the early advantage with a header in the seventh minute. And after Portugal equalized on Pepe’s header in the 55th minute, it was Cavani again finishing a perfect Uruguay counter in the 62nd with a shot from just inside the penalty area that caught Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio slightly out of position and curled inside the far post.

“The truth is, it was really exciting,” Cavani said. “There aren’t words to describe this.”

Cavani now has three goals at the World Cup, but limped off in the 70th minute with an apparent injury and had to be replaced. He was helped to the sideline with his arm around Ronaldo’s back.

“Right now we are only worried, but we don’t know how grave this injury is,” Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said.

Uruguay, a two-time champion that reached the semifinals at the 2010 World Cup, will next face France on Friday in Nizhny Novgorod.

Portugal had chances in the second half, including a frantic final few minutes of stoppage time with claims of a possible handball in the penalty area from a late corner kick. But there was no late video review to benefit Portugal as Ronaldo’s fourth World Cup came to an uneventful end.

Like Messi, Ronaldo has never scored in a knockout round match at the World Cup.

“I said no team can win alone. I never said Cristiano wants to play alone,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “The team didn’t win because Uruguay scored twice. Usually we also score.”

Ronaldo had one clean shot the entire 90 minutes and it came in the opening moments of the match, directly into the arms of Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. His shadows were Uruguay defenders Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez, who know Ronaldo quite well from their clashes between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league.

Ronaldo was involved somewhat in Portugal’s goal, even if he didn’t come close to getting a touch on the cross. Ronaldo ran in front of Pepe and drew the attention of both Gimenez and Godin. Pepe came in behind and Uruguay finally surrendered its first goal of the tournament in the 55th minute.

Being level lasted only seven minutes. The last time Uruguay won its first four games in the World Cup was 1930 when four wins earned it the title.

“Up until yesterday I think people were saying, ‘Well, Uruguay won the group stage but the group was easy.’ Well, I don’t think Portugal is easy,” Tabarez said.

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Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev catches a penalty shot during a round of 16 match against Spain in the World Cup on Sunday at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The hosts won the shootout 4-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.