Russia defeated Spain 4-3 on penalties, after the match ended in a 1-1 draw following extra time, with Stanislav Cherchesov’s side having to defend for much of the game that was held in Moscow on Sunday. With that victory, Russia reached the World Cup quarter-finals, for the first time since the break-up of the Soviet Union, where they will face Croatia on Saturday.

"Stanislav Cherchesov has chosen the... correct tactics in the match against Spain... When we try to attack, we realize the difference in ability, you realize you can't do anything else. There's nothing shameful in Russia playing that way, the result is what matters most. The coaching staff did a great job," Jankauskas said.

He praised some of the members of Russia's World Cup squad.

"I can do nothing but admire the way Sergey Ignashevich plays, considering his age [Russia veteran defender will turn 39 on July 14]. I also liked [midfielder] Romab Zobnin, [midfielder] Aleksandr Golovin, and [forward] Artem Dzyuba. They're all great players, they've already come into spotlight," Jankauskas added.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches being played in 11 cities across Russia.Â