Spain 1-1 Russia, Live blog, Golovin-watch: RUSSIA WIN ON PENALTIES 3-4

LIVE BLOG:

PENALTIES: Spain go first.

1. Iniesta scores (1-0); Smolov scores (1-1)
2. Piqué scores (2-1); Ignashevich scores (2-2)
3. Koke saved (2-2); Golovin scores (2-3)
4. Ramos scores (3-3); Cheryshev scores (3-4)
5. Aspas saved (3-4)!

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120+1min: The final whist goes. Penalties it is!

120min: A Russian clearance hits their own man and Spain turn upfield. Rodrigo’s shot is saved by Akinfeev and that’s that.

116min: Busquets dispossessed in his own penalty area(!), but the pass only finds a Spanish foot.

115min: Another foul gives Spain a free kick. The ball is swung in and misses everyone, but Spain complain and VAR goes to work. No penalty. Meanwhile, rain has arrived.

112min: Russia barely hanging on right now. Fans try to urge them on.

109min: Russia stretched for a minute, Spain take advantage through Rodrigo. Akinfeev saves but leaves a rebound. The follow-up shot is blocked by the defense and the danger passes.

106min: 15 minutes to penalties. Iniesta’s deflected shot is collected by Akinfeev.

105+1min: Half-time in extra time.

105min: Golovin called for a foul despite winning the ball. From the resulting free kick, Pique’s header is saved by Akinfeev.

104min: Asension makes way for Rodrigo as Spain’s fourth change. Earlier Erokhin replaced Kuzyaev for Russia.

100min: Something happens! But Akinfeev well equal to Asensio’s effort. Meanwhile, Spain tackle themselves.

91min: Spain have the edge in shots, 12-7 and the vast majority in possession (74%). Russia hoping to hang on for penalty kicks.

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END OF REGULATION: A Koke cross is cleared and the referee’s whistle blows. We go into extra-time, twice 15 minutes, with an extra sub for both teams.

90+3min: Kudryashov with a great interception wins the ball for Russia, but Smolov’s shot lacks the quality and the curve necessary to find the back of the net.

90min: A succession of corners for Spain eventually ends in a Ramos header over the bar.

87min: Russia counter looks promising for a second, but it’s flagged for offside before a stay pass from Smolov to Golovin negates it anyway.

85min: Russia continue to stay disciplined in their shape. But Spain create a long-shot for Iniesta, which is saved well by Akinfeev. Aspas gets to the rebound first, but his tigh-angle shot is parried by Akinfeev again.

79min: Smolov knocks it down for Golovin, he finds the ovrelapping Zobnin, but his touch is long and errant. Meanwhile, Aspas replaces Diego Costa.

77min: Russia appear to have a counter, but it hits a heel then Zobnin not ready for Golovin’s square ball and it goes out for a throw.

76min: Pass pass pass pass, but with almost no final third penetration or danger. Russia sitting back and shifting around as needed very well at the moment.

70min: Another like-for-like sub for Hierro as Carvajal replaces Nacho at right wing-back.

67min: Iniesta arrives on the scene. David Silva’s day is done.

66min: Golovin goes down in the penalty area, but he just lost his footing as he tried to turn the corner around Ramos. Unlucky.

64min: Final change already for Russia as Smolov comes on for Dzyuba. Unless the game goes into extra time, in which case the teams are allowed a fourth substitute.

60min: The dangerous Cheryshev comes on for Russia; the knackered Samedov makes way. If Russia can hold out, there should be opportunities on the counter.

58min: Costa and Isco combine for a dangerous chance, but the latter’s cross is diverted wide.

57min: Pass pass pass pass at one end. Russia win a corner at the other. But it’s poor and it’s cleared. Russia retain possession for a second, but Golovin’s called for a handball, by which he’s visibly perplexed.

53min: Golovin helps win the ball for a moment in midfield but Granat gives it right back.

50min: Golovin called for a foul on Alba after initially intercepting the ball. Right call. Costa’s header is well over however.

46min: Half-time change for Russia, Granat on for Zhirkov. Golovin gets an early touch, but is crowded out.

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HALF-TIME: 1-1.

45+1min: Akinfeev bowls out to Golovin who runs up the left side. Tries to find Dzyuba, but Ramos cuts out the crossfield pass.

45min: Spain with some impetus suddenly, but Isco’s shot is blocked. It was their first official shot of the game. It’s quickly followed by an effort Costa but Akinfeev diverts it wide. Costa has a weak header saved then, too

41min: Dzyuba takes, Dzyuba scores. All even at 1-1!

39min: A spell of possession from Russia (!) leads to a corner. Dzyuba wins the aerial duel and heads it right onto Pique’s outstretched hand. Penalty! Pique gets a yellow for his complaining, but the referee is unmoved and rightly so.

36min: But Russia do get on the ball, as Dzuyba wins the ball and holds it up for Golovin. He plays a combination with Zobnin, gets it back and creates space for a shot. It looks good, but there’s not enough curl around Pique and it goes harmlessly wide.

33min: And we’re back to watching paint dry as Spain keeps the ball. Russia with all 11 players in their defensive third. Fans launch into a wave.

27min: Russia win a corner! Zhirkov plays it short for some reason, but that means Golovin gets a touch! Two touches, even! He works the ball to Samedov, but Samedov loses the ball and Spain break the other way. Golovin tracks back and wins the ball on half-way.

23min: Dzyuba wins a soft free kick, but Spain clear. Golovin up to 5 touches, third fewest on the team, including the goalkeeper.

20min: The pattern continues. Spain with 75-80% possession, if not more.

16min: A grand total of 3 touches for Golovin thus far.

10min: Zhirkov gives away a foul in a dangerous position. Lucky to escape without a booking. Nacho looks okay to carry on, so no danger of Azpilicueta coming on. The resulting free-kick however is turned in by Sergio Ramos or the heel of Ignashevich, who wasn’t even watching the ball. Terrible defending.

7min: Fernandes clears and Golovin gets the ball, but he’s quickly closed down and the chance to counter is gone. Another Russian effort gets a bit further upfield, but the final pass is nowhere near good enough.

5min: The pattern is set. Spain with the possession. Russia looking to counter.

KICK-OFF: And we’re off, Spain in red, Russia in white. And the Golovin-watch begins.

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An eventful first day of the knockout phase is behind us, filled with plenty of drama, incidents, and goals. Especially for PSG forwards. That bodes well for Neymar, but he doesn’t play until tomorrow.

Today, it’s Spain vs. Russia, then impressive Croatia against Denmark.

Spain provided plenty of drama before the tournament even began, sacking Lopetegui and hiring Hierro. Yet, they’ve managed to look okay, if not overly impressive and should have no problem taking care of a surprising, but ultimately not very good Russia side. The Russians do have young Aleksandr Golovin, who looks likely to be Chelsea’s first actual signing of the summer transfer window. So that’s something to keep an eye out as it’s unlikely that César Azpilicueta will get to see any World Cup minutes.

Here we go.

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Spain starting lineup (4-2-3-1):
De Gea | Alba, Ramos, Piqué, Nacho | Busquets, Koke | Asensio, Isco, D.Silva | Costa

Substitutes from: Carvajal, Iniesta, Saúl, Rodrigo, Thiago Alcântara, Lucas Vázquez, Odriozola, Kepa, Azplicueta, Monreal, Aspas, Reina

Russia starting lineup (3-4-3):
Akinfeev | Kudryashov, Ignashevich, Kutepov | Zhirkov, Zobnin, Kuzyaev, Fernandes | Golovin, Dzyuba, Samedov

Substitutes from: Semenov, Cheryshev, Gazinskiy, Dzagoev, Smolov, Lunev, Granat, Al.Miranchuk, An.Miranchuk, Gabulov, Erokhin

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Date / Time: Sunday, July 1, 2018, 15:00 BST; 10am EDT
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)
On TV: BBC One (UK); FOX, Telemundo (USA); elsewhere
Streaming online: BBC iPlayer (UK); FOX Sports Go, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo; Sling World Cup (USA)