Moscow hummed with the sound of car horns and pavement parties on Sunday as Russia celebrated defeating Spain in a nerve jangling World Cup penalty shootout and England fans scrambled to join the carnival in the capital.



The hosts, who are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, produced the biggest upset so far by beating Spain, a giant of the game and world champions eight years ago. A ripple and then a roar passed through a 78,000 sellout crowd at the Luzhniki stadium, and as the Russian players stormed the pitch, the noise was so loud it hurt.

Play Video 0:51 From weddings to the mountains: Russians celebrate Spain win – video

On Nikolskaya Street, a pedestrianised thoroughfare near Red Square illuminated by twinkling fairy lights, hundreds of local people and fans from around the world strained to see outdoor TV screens in cafes. They huddled under umbrellas as the rain began to fall towards the end of the last-16 match with the score remaining 1-1 after extra time.

When goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev made a save with his left foot to secure a 4-3 penalty shootout victory, the buildings seemed to shake. Many swung flags above their heads and others sobbed in amazement. Vladimir Kondratyev, a manager at a sales company who was inside the stadium, hugged the Brazilian man beside him.

“I told everyone they were going to win,” he said as he walked out of the Luzhniki with the aid of a cane. “I never doubted them for a second.”

The festivities continued into the night, with drivers beeping their horns in celebration and some leaning out of car windows to high-five passing pedestrians.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest People in Moscow celebrate Russia’s victory over Spain. Photograph: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

The unexpected success of Russia has undoubtedly contributed to a feelgood atmosphere at the World Cup, and increasing numbers of England fans are keen to experience it for themselves. Their first knockout round match against Colombia here on Tuesday is being called England’s biggest game for over a decade by many, with expectation intensifying after the premature exits of Spain and reigning champions Germany.

England supporters were scouring the internet for tickets and some online touts were quoting three times the face value. It is understood the FA’s entire official allocation of 1,520 seats has now sold out, which with Fifa stating that there are no more tickets available means any other fans who want to watch the game inside Moscow’s Spartak stadium will have to obtain tickets through other channels.

However many England fans make it to Moscow, they will be dwarfed in number and noise ​by Colombians

Up to 6,000 England fans are expected to make the journey to the Russian capital, which has been transformed by a riot of colour, music and good-natured rivalry for the past three weeks. With most internal flights between the 11 World Cup host cities requiring a stopover in Moscow in transit, the city has benefited from a carnival atmosphere as fans from all 32 of the tournament’s countries converge in the main squares.

However many England fans make it to Moscow, it is certain they will be dwarfed in number and noise by Colombians, with the country estimated to have 50,000 supporters currently in Russia. A sea of their yellow shirts streamed past the red-brick Kremlin walls on Sunday, through the metal detectors and into Red Square.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Colombia fans in Red Square, Moscow. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

On a humid afternoon in front of St Basil’s Cathedral, they gathered en masse. Some were from the capital, Bogota, others from Cartagena and Santa Marta, but 12,000km from home they came together in support of their team.

For Osman Abadia from Cali, it was not just another major tournament but a kind of pilgrimage. Abadia said he felt like a minor celebrity as locals and fans from other countries queued to have photographs taken with him.

Brazilians dressed as alligators and sombrero-wearing Mexicans joined in the chants of 'Ros-Si-Ya' ​as Russia rejoiced

His baseball cap, T-shirt and giant Colombia flag all bore a picture of his mother, who died last year aged 96. “She loved soccer so I have come to Russia in honour of her,” he said. “She would have loved to have been watching us play England.”

Many Colombia fans have travelled from the US, which has a large expatriate population. Nataliy Perez, a 30-year-old ship worker originally from Medellín who has lived in Miami for 16 years, is visiting with her parents and uncle.

They have visited the cities of Kazan, Samara and Saransk. “In Samara, we salsa-danced on the streets with the Russians,” she said. “That surprised me because the first thing you think when you hear Russia is that they are cold and serious but it has been very different.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Russia and Colombia soccer fans in Nikolskaya Street, Moscow. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

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Over the past 18 days the streets around the Bolshoi theatre have been dominated at various times by supporters from Peru, in their first World Cup for 36 years, Argentina and Panama. Brazilians dressed as alligators and sombrero-wearing Mexicans joined in the chants of “Ros-Si-Ya” as the host country rejoiced in their victory over Spain.

The convivial atmosphere has defied some expectations. With England also impressing on the pitch and having the opportunity to win a knockout game for the first time since 2006, more fans are expected in Moscow.

Flights are cheaper than to other parts of Russia and accommodation is still available but fans will almost certainly have to pay a premium on tickets. On the ticket resale site Viagogo category-two seats with a face value of £142 were being resold for up to £542, while category-three tickets that cost £88 were being sold on for up to £495.