World Cup 2018: 3 reasons why Russia won against Spain

#2 Key players delivered when it mattered most

Artem Dzyuba with the penalty

Artem Dzyuba was carrying the hopes of a nation as he stepped up to take the penalty awarded in the dying minutes of the first half, and he delivered superbly under pressure to give his team hope.

Akinfeev - the man between the sticks for the hosts - could not have picked a better game to put in a man-of-the-match performance.

It wasn’t often that Spain went on the offensive but at the fag end of extra time, there seemed to be a sudden urgency in their movement and passing. The introduction of Iago Aspas and Rodrigo certainly favoured La Roja, and on a couple of occasions, they went close.

Aspas and Rodrigo were both denied by Akinfeev, whose timely dives and safe hands ensured that the game would go into a penalty shootout.

Under the spotlight, Russia could have withered against former world champions; instead, their experienced players were required to step up did so, and with aplomb, in turn, taking them to the quarterfinals for the first time since the breakup of the USSR.