2018 FIFA World Cup: Spanish fans take loss hard

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Europe

02:27

Spain's loss to World Cup host Russia left fans watching on big screens in the Madrid suburb of Las Rozas shocked and almost at a loss for words. The penalty kicks knocked the wind out of the fans and the Spanish team. CGTN's Al Goodman reports from Las Rozas, Spain.

At this fan zone in a Madrid suburb, watching on big screens, the World Cup penalty shootout at the end of Spain's match against Russia, was anguish. Before a home crowd, Russia's goalie blocked the penalty kicks of two Spanish players.

JAVIER COQUE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FAN "We have had a lot of chances that we have missed. Bad luck on the game."

The beginning of the match was different. High hopes for Spain, which won its first World Cup in 2010 in South Africa. And fielded veterans from that team along with younger players.

VICTOR HERMOSO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST "I think Spain's going to pass through. Russia is going to score maybe one, maybe two. Yeah, it doesn't matter. It's good for the game."

Spain's first point came in minute 12, when Russia kicked an own goal. The fans here in the village of Las Rozas, kind of liked that. For this fan and many others, confidence at a peak.

VICTOR HERMOSO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST "I think it's a good start, yeah. Why not?"

But at the end of the first half, the referee called a penalty on Spain and Russia converted, to tie the score. Now, it was this visiting Moscow TV reporter, maybe the only Russian fan in the entire crowd, was the confident one.

CHRISTINA LEVIEVA RUSSIAN CHANNEL 1 REPORTER "The Spanish team they never won the host of the championship. That's why we're gonna see what happens next."

What happened next was a scoreless second half, and a scoreless extra time. So different from the World Cup victory eight years ago, which this fan remembers well.

JAVIER COQUE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FAN "I remember I was with my father, we were screaming. It was like a very cool moment."

In the penalty shootout against Russia, Spain converted its first few penalty kicks. But then came the two misses.

AL GOODMAN LAS ROZAS, SPAIN "An early exit for Spain for the second World Cup in a row. A big disappointment here, for a team that had been considered a contender to possibly win it all. Al Goodman, CGTN, Las Rozas, Spain."