The unpredictability of the 2018 World Cup took center-stage yet again as Russia stunned Spain to progress to the quarter-finals. Artem Dzyuba's penalty equalizer to veteran defender Ignashevic's own-goal was enough to provide the hosts a lifeline as they battled through the 90 minutes and the extra-time respectively.
Russia went on to defeat Spain 4-3 on penalties to seal the historic victory in the maiden shootout of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. First, it was Atletico Madrid's Koke who saw his effort saved by Igor Akinfeev, before Iago Aspas's compounded to the misery by failing to find the back of the net.
An already existing milestone was extended as La Furia Roja, yet again, failed to win against a host nation in nine outings at the World Cup and the European championships. Sunday's defeat was the third time at the World Cup with the previous loss coming against South Korea (also on penalty shoot-outs) in 2002.
