PARIS (AP) — It was a victory for all of France and the home crowd did it justice, pouring into Paris’ Champs-Elysées Avenue by the tens of thousands to celebrate in an explosion of joy.France’s 4-2 win over Croatia in the World Cup final in Moscow yesterday marked the second time in 20 years that France has won the World Cup, and came at a time when the people feel needy.
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Vive la France!
France won the World Cup on Sunday after defeating Croatia 4-2. It’s the country’s second World Cup title since 1998. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.
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France wins 2nd World Cup title, defeating Croatia 4-2
MOSCOW (CBS News/AP) — Kylian Mbappe and France put on a thrilling show in winning the World Cup title. All Russian President Vladimir Putin might remember is the Pussy Riot protest. The 19-year-old Mbappe became only the second teenager after Pele to score in a World Cup final, helping France beat Croatia 4-2 on Sunday. Mbappe had just shown his electrifying speed in the 52nd minute when play was held up by four protesters. About 12 minutes after play resumed, Mbappe sent a right-footed shot past Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic. But it was Mbappe and Pogba who put the match out of reach with a furious passage of play interrupted by a four-person field invasion by Pussy Riot – watched from the VIP seats by Putin, whose government once jailed members of the activist group. Griezmann scored from the penalty in the 38th minute after a video review. About four minutes after his corner kick was knocked out, the referee ruled Ivan Perisic had handled the ball on the way. France took the lead in the 18th when Croatia’s tallest outfield player, 1.90-meter (6-foot-3) forward Mario Mandzukic, rose to meet Griezmann’s free kick with the top of his head. He inadvertently sent it past his own goalkeeper. Mario Mandzukic scored a goal for the Croatians in the 69th, thanks to a mental error by French goaltender Hugo Lloris. Mbappe, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the French league, was born months after France first won its only other World Cup title in 1998. Putin was later on the field during a downpour to award medals to the players. FIFA president Gianni Infantino then handed France captain Hugo Lloris the World Cup trophy. Earlier, four pitch invaders disrupted the game in the 52nd minute for about a minute before being dragged away by security and police. Punk rock group Pussy Riot quickly claimed responsibility for the pitch invasion via social media, saying it was a protest aimed at ending illegal arrests of protesters and to allow political competition in Russia. The four people who charged onto the field in the 52nd minute simultaneously in what appeared to be old-fashioned police uniforms were tackled to the ground by stewards, but not before one shared a high five with a French player in the center circle. Pussy Riot rose to global prominence with their daring outdoor performances critical of Russia President Vladimir Putin. (TM and © Copyright 2018 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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France Wins World Cup, Beats Croatia 4-2
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — For Belgium and England, the third-place match at the World Cup was more like a dress rehearsal for future finals. At least they hope. The Belgians earned their best World Cup finish by beating England 2-0 on Saturday in a match both saw as the start of a push for the European Championship title in 2020 or the World Cup in 2022. “With this winning mentality you can win trophies,” said Eden Hazard, who scored Belgium’s second goal. “In two years, in four years, we will be better. We have young players. They are very good also in the team. They push all of us.” Thomas Meunier and Hazard both scored at St. Petersburg Stadium in a match between the two semifinal losers. France and Croatia will play in the final on Sunday at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The French beat Belgium on Tuesday in the semifinals, while the Croats defeated England on Wednesday. England matched its best World Cup result — fourth in 1990 — since winning the tournament for the only time in 1966. “Today shows there’s room for improvement. We’re not the finished article. We’re still learning. We’re still getting better,” England striker Harry Kane said. “We don’t want to wait another 20-odd years to get into another major semifinal.” Both Belgium and England were playing for the seventh time in 26 days, but the Belgians entered the match with an extra day of rest. Meunier’s goal matched a World Cup record for Belgium by having 10 different players score in a tournament, something only done before by France in 1982 and Italy in 2006. Meunier scored in the fourth minute, knocking a cross from Nacer Chadli past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Hazard added the other off a pass from Kevin De Bruyne in the 82nd. Toby Alderweireld denied England’s best chance of the game, sliding on the goal line to clear a shot from Eric Dier. Belgium’s previous best finish at the World Cup was fourth, but the team outplayed England in the midfield to go one better this time. The Belgians could easily have scored more, with Pickford making a good save to stop a shot from De Bruyne in the 11th and Alderweireld volleying narrowly over the bar in the 35th. England made set pieces the cornerstone of its run to the World Cup semifinals and created chances for Harry Maguire and Dier in the second half. Neither hit the target with their headers. It was the second time England and Belgium met in this year’s tournament. In the group stage, both teams had already qualified before Belgium’s 1-0 win in Kaliningrad. FRESH LEGS England coach Gareth Southgate made five changes to face Belgium, but Danny Rose and Fabian Delph made little impact while Dier started slowly but threatened in the second half. Phil Jones failed to intercept the pass which led to Hazard’s goal. The two replacements in Belgium’s lineup were more effective. Meunier scored and Youri Tielemans dominated the midfield. GOLDEN BOOT Kane is still placed to win the Golden Boot with a tournament-leading six goals ahead of Sunday’s final. Kane last scored in England’s win over Colombia in the round of 16. On Saturday, he slipped as he shot wide in the first half, then failed to make contact with Jesse Lingard’s cross early in the second. Romelu Lukaku couldn’t add to his four goals for Belgium and was substituted shortly after misjudging a through ball by De Bruyne. NEXT STOP 2020 The next major tournament is the 2020 European Championship, which will be played at venues across the continent but with the semifinals and finals in London at Wembley Stadium. England defender John Stones said that could be a boost after the surprise run to the semifinals in Russia prompted a surge in support for the team at home. But Southgate said England still has a long way to go. “We’ve finished in the top four, but we’re not a top-four team yet,” Southgate said. “Against the very best teams, we’ve come up short.” (© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Belgium Finishes 3rd At World Cup With Win Over England
According to Cleveland.com, Ante Zizic boarded a flight to Croatia on Friday morning to return to his native land for the first time in almost year.
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Cavs give Zizic OK to head to Croatia for WC final
England’s World Cup dreams were dashed Wednesday when they lost to Croatia 2-1 in extra time. England will face Belgium on Saturday for third place while Croatia will take on France in the final on Sunday. BBC Sport correspondent Olly Foster recaps the dramatic match. ”
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Croatia defeats England, now faces France in the final
MOSCOW (AP) — When the final whistle blew and they knew they were going to their first World Cup final, the Croatians ran to their jumping and cheering fans in their iconic red-and-white checkered jerseys. Mario Mandzukic scored the winning goal in the 109th minute and Croatia shocked England, rallying for 2-1 victory Wednesday. Defender Sime Vrsaljko kept the score even in extra time by heading a shot off the goal line about 10 minutes before Mandzukic scored for Croatia, which is the first team in 28 years to come from behind to win a World Cup semifinal match. “Mentally strong team,” midfielder Ivan Rakatic said. “It’s just unbelievable to get back in the game in this way.” The Croats will play France for the title on Sunday in its biggest sporting moment since becoming an independent nation in 1991. France, which won its only title at home in 1998, will have an extra day of rest after beating Belgium 1-0 on Tuesday. Croatia played three straight extra-time matches — two ended in penalty kicks. Football will not be coming home to England, and there will be no title to match the 1966 triumph at Wembley Stadium. Harry Kane & Co. will deal with the same disappointment that felled Shearer and Platt, Gazza and Wazza, Beckham and Gerrard. Croatia’s legs at the start seemed to carry the weight of so many minutes in the knockout stage, and a pressing England went up quickly. Kevin Trippier curled in a free kick in the fifth minute. But Croatia found energy after the break when the game opened up, making England’s missed first-half opportunities seem all-the-more significant. Ivan Perisic tied the score in the 68th minute with his fourth goal of the tournament. Rakitic switched the ball from left flank to right, where Vrsaljko crossed. Walker attempted to clear diving header but Perisic jumped and from behind raised his left boot over Walker’s head to poke the ball past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from about 8 yards. Four minutes later, Perisic hit Pickford’s near post. Mandzukic scored after Walker stuck out a leg to block Josip Pivaric’s cross. The ball popped up and Perisic outjumped Tripper to head the ball behind the defense. Mandzukic alertly reacted to the unexpected ball in the penalty area, splitting defenders John Stones and Harry Maguire, who had taken four short steps up. The ball bounced twice, Mandzukic ran onto it and one-timed a low, left-footed shot to Pickford’s left. Mandzukic was mobbed by teammates, who jumped on him in the corner and trapped photographers under them in the crush. England went ahead with its ninth set-piece goal of the tournament, after Luca Modric tripped Dele Alli, giving England a free kick about 25 yards out in the center of the field. Trippier struck the ball with his right foot and it rose above leaping Dejan Lovren and Mandzukic to the left of the desperate dive of goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, who turned his head and watched the ball land in the upper corner. With his first international goal, just over a year after his England debut, the 27-year-old Trippier joined David Beckham as the only English players since 1966 to score on free kicks at the World Cup. Choruses of “God Save the Queen” began in England’s end. Kane had a chance to double the lead in the 30th minute when Subasic made a sliding save on his short-range shot and Kane’s follow-up effort from the end line hit the post and bounced off the keeper and up as the flag went up. Jesse Lingard sent an open 18-yard shot just wide in the 35th. England had its moments to come back but could not finish its chances. Lingard failed to connect with a Kane through ball in 78th, Kane miss-hit a header off a free kick in stoppage time, and Stones’ header from a corner was cleared off the line by Vrsaljko in the 99th. As the action went end to end, Croatia had its chances, too. Pickford rushed off his line and stuck out his right leg to block Mandzukic’s poke-in attempt of Perisic’s cross near the end of the first extra-time period. (© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Croatia Stuns England To Earn First Trip To World Cup Final
MOSCOW (AP) — When the final whistle blew and they knew they were going to their first World Cup final, the Croatians ran to their jumping and cheering fans in their iconic red-and-white checkered jerseys. Mario Mandzukic scored the winning goal in the 109th minute and Croatia shocked England, rallying for 2-1 victory Wednesday. Defender Sime Vrsaljko kept the score even in extra time by heading a shot off the goal line about 10 minutes before Mandzukic scored for Croatia, which is the first team in 28 years to come from behind to win a World Cup semifinal match. “Mentally strong team,” midfielder Ivan Rakatic said. “It’s just unbelievable to get back in the game in this way.” The Croats will play France for the title on Sunday in its biggest sporting moment since becoming an independent nation in 1991. France, which won its only title at home in 1998, will have an extra day of rest after beating Belgium 1-0 on Tuesday. Croatia played three straight extra-time matches — two ended in penalty kicks. Football will not be coming home to England, and there will be no title to match the 1966 triumph at Wembley Stadium. Harry Kane & Co. will deal with the same disappointment that felled Shearer and Platt, Gazza and Wazza, Beckham and Gerrard. Croatia’s legs at the start seemed to carry the weight of so many minutes in the knockout stage, and a pressing England went up quickly. Kevin Trippier curled in a free kick in the fifth minute. But Croatia found energy after the break when the game opened up, making England’s missed first-half opportunities seem all-the-more significant. Ivan Perisic tied the score in the 68th minute with his fourth goal of the tournament. Rakitic switched the ball from left flank to right, where Vrsaljko crossed. Walker attempted to clear diving header but Perisic jumped and from behind raised his left boot over Walker’s head to poke the ball past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from about 8 yards. Four minutes later, Perisic hit Pickford’s near post. Mandzukic scored after Walker stuck out a leg to block Josip Pivaric’s cross. The ball popped up and Perisic outjumped Tripper to head the ball behind the defense. Mandzukic alertly reacted to the unexpected ball in the penalty area, splitting defenders John Stones and Harry Maguire, who had taken four short steps up. The ball bounced twice, Mandzukic ran onto it and one-timed a low, left-footed shot to Pickford’s left. Mandzukic was mobbed by teammates, who jumped on him in the corner and trapped photographers under them in the crush. England went ahead with its ninth set-piece goal of the tournament, after Luca Modric tripped Dele Alli, giving England a free kick about 25 yards out in the center of the field. Trippier struck the ball with his right foot and it rose above leaping Dejan Lovren and Mandzukic to the left of the desperate dive of goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, who turned his head and watched the ball land in the upper corner. With his first international goal, just over a year after his England debut, the 27-year-old Trippier joined David Beckham as the only English players since 1966 to score on free kicks at the World Cup. Choruses of “God Save the Queen” began in England’s end. Kane had a chance to double the lead in the 30th minute when Subasic made a sliding save on his short-range shot and Kane’s follow-up effort from the end line hit the post and bounced off the keeper and up as the flag went up. Jesse Lingard sent an open 18-yard shot just wide in the 35th. England had its moments to come back but could not finish its chances. Lingard failed to connect with a Kane through ball in 78th, Kane miss-hit a header off a free kick in stoppage time, and Stones’ header from a corner was cleared off the line by Vrsaljko in the 99th. As the action went end to end, Croatia had its chances, too. Pickford rushed off his line and stuck out his right leg to block Mandzukic’s poke-in attempt of Perisic’s cross near the end of the first extra-time period. (© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Croatia Stuns England To Earn First Trip To World Cup Final
