Croatia ends Russia’s World Cup run with win
SOCHI, Russia – Although Russia made it further at this year’s World Cup than most anyone expected, it was Croatia that advanced to the semifinals with a 4-3 shootout victory Saturday following a 2-2 draw.
The overachieving hosts, the lowest ranked team in the tournament at No. 70, were trying to make it to the World Cup semifinals for the first time since the Soviet Union finished fourth at the 1966 tournament in England.
“I left everything on the field and unfortunately we were unlucky,” Russia midfielder Roman Zobnin said. “We gave everything we could.”
The Croats hadn’t advanced this far at the World Cup since 1998, when the country made its first appearance.
Croatia will next square off with England in the semifinals on Wednesday in Moscow.
England 2, Sweden 0
SAMARA, Russia – England achieved something David Beckham’s generation never managed: It reached the semifinals of the World Cup.
Harry Maguire and Dele Alli scored with headers in a 2-0 win over Sweden on Saturday, earning England a match against either Croatia or host nation Russia for a place in the final.
England has advanced further than was widely expected. Not even the England side containing stars like Beckham, Steven Gerrard and a young Wayne Rooney ever got this far at a major tournament.
England, the 1966 World Cup champion, last reached the semifinals in 1990. In 2014, the team didn’t even make it out of the group stage. But the performances of Gareth Southgate’s young lineup in Russia are being celebrated wildly back home.
The surprising run is being fuelled by goals from set pieces, and there was another against Sweden when Maguire headed in a corner in the 30th minute.
Alli added the second goal by meeting a far-post cross from Jesse Lingard with a powerful header in the 59th, becoming – at 22 – the second-youngest scorer for England at a World Cup.