England, Belgium to play for 3rd place at World Cup on Saturday

MOSCOW (AP) - England defender Kyle Walker is finding meaning in the game no one wants to play. The third-place match at the World Cup is often dismissed as a pointless way for FIFA to fill TV space with two teams who just want to go home. But for Walker, a bronze medal still has value.

Croatia reaches FIFA World Cup for 1st time, beats England 2-1

Croatia's legs seemed heavy, burdened by the accumulated toll of consecutive penalty-kicks wins needed to get this far. England had gone ahead with a free kick just five minutes in, dominated play and appeared headed to its first World Cup final since 1966.

WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL PREVIEW: Croatia vs England

A capsule look at Wednesday's World Cup semifinal match between Croatia and England in Moscow (2 p.m. EDT, 9 p.m. local): WHY CROATIA WILL WIN A generation of players in their primes, or just past their primes, led by a strong midfield with Ivan Pericic (29), Ivan Rakatic (30) and Luka Modric (32), with Mario Mandzukic (32) heading the attack. WHY ENGLAND WILL WIN

WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL PREVIEW: France vs Belgium

A capsule look at Tuesday's World Cup semifinal between France and Belgium in St. Petersburg, Russia (2 p.m. EDT, 9 p.m. local): WHY FRANCE WILL WIN Kylian Mbappe, just 19, has been the most dynamic player in the tournament, and Belgium's defenders have struggled at times. WHY BELGIUM WILL WIN Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne are a more potent offensive trio than any other...

Japanese players leave locker room spotless after crushing World Cup loss

The biggest sports tournament in the world comes with some of the most heartbreaking moments for fans and players alike. After Japan blew a 2-0 lead with 25 minutes left, the players and fans could have thrown a huge fit - but instead they respectfully said thank you to their hosts.

With 2018 FIFA World Cup field halved, here's a look at what's next

MOSCOW (AP) - The World Cup started with eight groups of four, 32 nations in all seeking to make it to the knockout stage. Colombia and - just barely - Japan grabbed the two spots from Group H in Thursday's early matches, and England and Belgium sorted out the top of Group F later that night to solidify the field going forward. Here's a look at what's next, starting with the round...