THE FOOT OF GOD
On a day when both World Cup matches went to penalty kicks Russian ‘keeper Igor Akinfeev turned in a save for the ages,
We have a saying in Russia, Stanislav Cherchesov had told reporters from behind his fearsome moustache Saturday afternoon.
“Anyone,” said Cherchesov, the coach of Russia’s World Cup team, “can be a god if he tries.”
The statement — a day before Russia would play Spain in the World Cup’s round of 16 — was both pushback and premonition. Cherchesov knew what everyone was thinking: that his Russian team, the lowestranked in the field, had surpassed expectations as the host of the World Cup, but would surely reach the end of the line when it took on Spain, a former world and European champion.
But Cherchesov seemed to know better. He thought his team had more to give. And he was right.
In a stunning upset, Russia eliminated Spain on penalty kicks, 4-3, after a 1-1 tie Sunday that extended through 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time.
The long day finally ended when the Russian goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeev, kicked away Iago Aspas’s fifth penalty attempt for Spain after Russia had converted its first four. The Russians had been dominated throughout the game, but a penalty kick by Artem Dzyuba before halftime allowed them to tie the score at 1-1 and a gritty, disciplined, defensive effort ultimately led to the penalty shootout — and to a result that many had considered unthinkable.
Cherchesov and Russia now have any number of players to toast as they begin to look ahead to their next game, on Saturday in Sochi, Russia, where they will play the winner of the Croatia-Denmark game in the quarterfinals.
One hero, for sure, is Akinfeev, who saved two of Spain’s five penalties. Then there is Dzyuba, who created and then converted the penalty that drew Russia level in a game in which it appeared comically overmatched at times. And maybe Sergei Ignashevich, the 38year-old centre back, who was drafted into the World Cup late in Russia’s preparations. He has played every minute of this tournament, and he provided the five-man defensive back line he anchored with the leadership and the structure to hold off Spain again and again.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” midfielder Alexander Golovin said. “To be honest, I do not even know what to do right now. We are in some kind of dream, a fairy tale.”
Staked to the early lead it sought, Spain continued to pass and Russia continued to chase. The game quickly devolved into a high-stakes training session.
And then, in the 40th minute, everything changed. Russia won a corner, Alexander Samedov fired it in and Dzyuba headed it directly onto the arm of Spain’s Gerard Piqué — who for some reason had jumped to challenge him with his back turned and one arm over his head.
The Dutch referee, Bjorn Kuipers, called a hand ball. Dzyuba buried it past David de Gea and just like that, Russia — and its crowd — came to life.
Russia had ridden that kind of full-throated support right through its first three games at the tournament. Its maximum effort and early success — two victories in its first three games — had quickly got its countrymen on board, easing fears that the tournament might be an afterthought for the host country if the Russian team exited early.
Having reached the penaltykick shootout, Russia seized its chance and finished the job. Fyodor Smolov, then Ignashevich, then Alexander Golovin, then Russia’s Denis Cheryshev, all beat de Gea.
Akinfeev did the rest, stopping Koke on Spain’s third attempt and Aspas on the fifth. Cherchesov, the coach, watched none of it, banking his emotions for what’s to come.
“I believe this is only the beginning,” he said, “so I have to save my emotions for the future.”