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'I Accept Responsibility': Fernando Hierro Takes Blame After Spain Suffer Penalty Defeat to Russia

Spain manager Fernando Hierro took responsibility for his team's penalty shootout defeat to Russia in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Sergei Ignashevich's own goal was cancelled out by a Artem Dzyuba penalty and despite setting a new record for the most passes completed in a World Cup match, Spain struggled to create chances against Russia's rigid structure.

Koke and Iago Aspas saw their penalties saved by Igor Akinfeev in the shootout as Russia secured a famous triumph, and Hierro refused to blame anyone but himself for the defeat.

"This is sad, it is the way it is.