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SPORTS Thursday 12 July 2018
Croatia in World Cup final for 1st time, beats England 2-1

By RONALD BLUM acter,” said coach Zlatko predicted supporters would said. And Croatia defender European Championship
AP Sports Writer Dalic, who wore a check- buy 10 million extra pints at Sime Vrsaljko kept the score semifinals.
MOSCOW (AP) — Croa- ered jersey to his post- pubs during the match and even nine minutes into ex- “Impossible to say anything
tia’s legs seemed heavy, match news conference. No.1 Court at Wimbledon tra time by clearing John to them that is going to
burdened by the accumu- “There’s no weakness in a was less than one-third full Stones’ header off a corner make them feel better at
lated toll of consecutive this point,” Southgate said
penalty-kicks wins needed after fourth straight loss in a
to get this far. England had major semifinal.
gone ahead with a free Croatia tied the score af-
kick just five minutes in, ter Rakitic switched the
dominated play and ap- ball from left flank to right,
peared headed to its first where Vrsaljko crossed.
World Cup final since 1966. Kyle Walker attempted
Then the second half start- a diving header to clear.
ed and it was as if a differ- Perisic jumped and from
ent Croatian team had re- behind raised his left boot
placed the lethargic one. over Walker’s head to poke
Ivan Perisic tied the score in the ball past goalkeeper
the 68th minute, Mario Man- Jordan Pickford from about
dzukic got the go-ahead 8 yards for his fourth goal in
goal in the 109th and Croa- the tournament.
tia shocked England with a England had its moments
2-1 victory Wednesday that to come back, but Lingard
advanced a nation of just failed to connect with a
over 4 million to a World Kane through ball in 78th,
Cup final against France. and Kane miss-hit a header
“Mentally strong team,” off a free kick in stoppage
midfielder Ivan Rakitic said. time. Mandzukic scored
“It’s just unbelievable to after Walker stuck out a
get back in the game in this leg to block Josip Pivaric’s
way.” cross. The ball popped
When the final whistle blew up and Perisic outjumped
and they knew they were Trippier to head the ball
going to their first World toward goal. Mandzukic
Cup final, the Croatians alertly reacted to the unex-
ran to their jumping and pected ball in the penalty
cheering fans in their iconic area, splitting defenders
red-and-white checkered Stones and Harry Maguire,
jerseys. Croatia joined an who had taken four short
exclusive club of 13 nations steps up. The ball bounced
that has advanced to a twice, Mandzukic ran onto
World Cup final in a tourna- it and one-timed a low,
ment where powers Brazil, left-footed shot to Pick-
Germany, Argentina and ford’s left. Mandzukic was
Spain made early exits. mobbed by teammates,
“They’ve had an incredible who jumped on him in the
route to the final. They’ve corner and trapped pho-
shown remarkable charac- Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic, left, scores his side’s second goal during the semifinal match between tographers under them in
ter,” said England coach Croatia and England at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, the crush.
Gareth Southgate, who for Wednesday, July 11, 2018. CARD COUNTING
now will be remembered Associated Press No players are suspended
more for a fashionable for the final.
waistcoat than ending a team that is in the final.” for the men’s quarterfinal just in front of the goal line. BOOS
half-century of hurt. England was not among match between John Isner Croatia became the first Croatia defender Doma-
France, which won its only the top 10 in ticket sales and Milos Raonic. team since Argentina beat goj Vida was jeered by fans
title at home in 1998, will before the tournament, Promise seemed about to Italy in 1990 to come from whenever he touched the
have an extra day of rest but the team’s progress be fulfilled when Kieran behind to win a World Cup ball. He received a warning
after beating Belgium 1-0 caused gallivanting sup- Trippier curled in a free kick semifinal match. from FIFA for shouting “glo-
on Tuesday. porters to flock to Moscow. in the fifth minute for his first Football will not be com- ry to Ukraine” in a video
Croatia, coming off 360 in- The front of the stands be- international goal, above ing home to England, and posted after Croatia beat
tense minutes of soccer’s hind one goal was filled leaping Dejan Lovren and there will be no title to Russia in the quarterfinals.q
highest level, faces its big- with more than two dozen Mandzukic and past the match the 1966 triumph at
gest sporting moment since white banners with a red desperate dive of goal- Wembley Stadium. Kane &
becoming an independent Cross of St. George, pledg- keeper Danijel Subasic. Co. will deal with the same
nation in 1991. Fans back ing support from many of Choruses of “God Save disappointment that felled
home in Zagreb took to the the island’s clubs, from the Queen” began in Eng- Shearer and Platt, Gazza
streets to celebrate, light- Bradford City to Wolver- land’s end. and Wazza, Beckham and
ing flares and waving flags hampton. Back home, a “We had a couple chanc- Gerrard. And Southgate,
in a sea of exuberance. crowd of 30,000 was in Lon- es after that to get the sec- whose penalty-kick failure
“We are a nation of people don’s Hyde Park for a large- ond, give ourselves a bit led to England’s previous
who never give in, who are screen viewing, the British more breathing room,” Eng- semifinal loss in a major
proud and who have char- Beer and Pub Association land captain Harry Kane tournament, in the 1996