England knocks out Colombia on penalties to reach the quarterfinals
(CNN)No country had lost more penalty shootouts at a World Cup, but even though history was against them England's inexperienced team held its nerve to see off Colombia in a tense finale and progressed to the quarterfinals.
England were within minutes of reaching the last eight in normal time thanks to a Harry Kane penalty until it conceded an injury-time goal -- Yerry Mina powered in a header in the 93rd minute -- which allowed the South Americans to live on to extra-time and, ultimately, penalties
A miss from Mateus Uribe and a one-handed Jordan Pickford save from Carlos Bacca in the shootout proved to be Colombia's downfall and ensured England, having failed on three previous occasions, won a penalty shootout at a World Cup for the first time in its history.
England manager Gareth Southgate described victory as a "special win."
READ: Sweden beat Switzerland to reach quarterfinals
READ: Japan leaves spotless locker room and a 'thank you' note
Practice makes perfect
Previously England had lost six of its seven penalty shootouts at major tournaments, the only win coming against Spain in the European Championships in 1996.
But coach Gareth Southgate -- a man who famously missed from the spot in the Euro 1996 semifinal against Germany -- had made sure his players took spot-kicks in training and, on this occasion at least, practice made perfect.
Jordan Pickford made a one-handed save to put England back in control of the shootout.
"We talked long and hard about owning the process," Southgate told ITV when asked about the squad's approach to penalty shootouts.
"Great credit to all the staff and our players who have taken everything on board.
"We looked at individual technique, looked at how we needed to be as a team, and the goalkeeper has been important in that."
It was left to Eric Dier to convert the winning spot-kick and send fans into fever pitch, changing hope to expectation with Sweden the next opponent on July 7.
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Panama players gather after their defeat.
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German players celebrate after Toni Kroos scored on a late free kick to stun Sweden 2-1 on June 23.
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South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng, right, argues with Mexico's Edson Alvarez as Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa lies on the ground on June 23. Mexico won 2-1 to clinch a spot in the next round.
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South Korea's Lee Yong, left, duels for the ball with Mexico's Hirving Lozano.
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A Mexico fan waits for the start of the match against South Korea.
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Belgium's Romelu Lukaku scores against Tunisia on June 23. He had a pair of goals in the match, which Belgium won 5-2.
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Captain Eden Hazard also scored two for Belgium.
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Players watch the ball during the Belgium-Tunisia match.
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Belgium's Jan Vertonghen, left, challenges Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri.
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Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Serbia on June 22. Switzerland won 2-1.
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Swiss players defend Serbia's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
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Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer catches the ball over Milinkovic-Savic.
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Nigerian midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo kicks the ball during the 2-0 victory over Iceland on June 22.
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Ahmed Musa celebrates after scoring his second goal of the match against Iceland.
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Neymar celebrates his last-second goal that finished off Brazil's 2-0 victory over Costa Rica on June 22.
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Neymar taps in his goal late in the match.
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Croatian players celebrate the second goal in their 3-0 victory over Argentina on June 21. The victory clinched them a spot in the knockout stage.
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Croatia's Luka Modric is tackled by Argentina's Nicolas Tagliafico.
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Willy Caballero is dejected after his flubbed clearance gifted Croatia its first goal.
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France's Kylian Mbappe, right, celebrates with teammate Antoine Griezmann after scoring against Peru on June 21. It was the only goal of the match.
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Peru's Andre Carrillo is challenged by French players Paul Pogba, left, and N'Golo Kante.
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A Peruvian supporter waits for the start of the match.
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Australia's Robbie Kruse, foreground, and Denmark's Henrik Dalsgaard go for a header during the teams' 1-1 draw on June 21.
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Australia's Joshua Risdon jumps over Thomas Delaney.
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Spain's Diego Costa, right, celebrates with teammate Isco after scoring against Iran on June 20. Spain won 1-0.
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A fan has his face painted with the colors of the Spanish flag on June 20.
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Referee Andres Cunha speaks with Iranian midfielder Ehsan Hajsafi during the match.
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal in Portugal's 1-0 win over Morocco on June 20. It was his tournament-leading fourth goal.
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Uruguay fans cheer outside the stadium before the match with Saudi Arabia on June 20.
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Saudi Arabia's Fahad Al-Muwallad, left, challenges Uruguay's Diego Godin.
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Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring for Uruguay in the 23rd minute. It was the only goal of the match, and the final result meant Uruguay and Russia would both advance to the tournament's knockout stage.
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Mohamed Salah kisses the ball before scoring a penalty for Egypt on June 19. Russia won, however, by a final score of 3-1.
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Egypt's Tarek Hamed, left, and Russia's Aleksandr Golovin compete for the ball.
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Russia's first goal came when the ball deflected off Egypt's Ahmed Fathi.
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Members of the Senegal team celebrate after defeating Poland 2-1 in their match on June 19.
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Japanese defender Gen Shoji climbs over Colombia's Radamel Falcao to win a header in their World Cup opener on June 19. Japan won the match 2-1.
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The referee shows a red card to Colombia's Carlos Sanchez in the third minute. Sanchez was deemed to have deliberately handled the ball in the box.
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English players celebrate Harry Kane's first goal in the 2-1 win over Tunisia on June 18. Kane later added the winner in second-half stoppage time.
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A Tunisia fan shows his dejection after the final whistle.
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Belgium's Dries Mertens, right, competes for the ball with Panama's Jose Luis Rodriguez during their World Cup opener on June 18. Mertens scored a goal in Belgium's 3-0 victory.
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Panamanian forward Gabriel Torres controls the ball during the match against Belgium.
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Sweden's Pontus Jansson, top left, and South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng try to head the ball during Sweden's 1-0 victory on June 18.
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Switzerland's Steven Zuber celebrates after scoring a goal against Brazil on June 17. The two teams tied 1-1.
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Brazil's Philippe Coutinho and Switzerland's Breel Embolo compete for the ball.
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Brazilian star Neymar recently came back from a foot injury.
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Mexico's Hirving Lozano, left, celebrates with Jesus Gallardo after scoring the only goal in the upset victory over Germany on June 17. Germany won the World Cup in 2014.
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Fans wave German flags before facing off with Mexico.
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Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa makes a late save against Mario Gomez.
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Marcos Ureña runs onto the pitch during Costa Rica's opening match against Serbia on June 17. Serbia won 1-0.
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Croatian players celebrate after Luka Modric scored the second goal of their 2-0 win against Nigeria on June 16.
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Nigerian captain John Obi Mikel runs with the ball during the Croatia match.
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Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen reacts after he scored a goal against Peru on June 16. It turned out to be the only goal in the match.
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Peru's Luis Advincula, left, and Denmark's Martin Braithwaite fight for the ball.
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Argentina star Lionel Messi appears downcast at the end of a 1-1 draw with Iceland on June 16. Messi missed a penalty in the match.
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Messi and Iceland's Hordur Magnusson struggle for the ball.
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Fans of France share a kiss before the team's opening match with Australia on June 16.
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French midfielder Paul Pogba keeps his eye on the ball against Australia. His shot deflected off an Australian for the match-winning goal.
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Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his first-half penalty against Spain on June 15. He added two more goals in the 3-3 draw.
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Spanish defender Nacho, left, competes for a header with Portugal's Bruno Fernandes. Nacho conceded the early penalty to Ronaldo but responded with a second-half goal.
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Fernando Hierro was making his debut as Spain's manager. The former captain took over two days ago when Spain fired Julen Lopetegui.
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Portuguese defender Raphael Guerreiro controls the ball in the match against Spain.
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Morocco's Aziz Bouhaddouz lies on the ground after heading the ball into his own net late in stoppage time on June 15. The whistle was blown just a few moments later, and Iran won 1-0.
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Iran's Alireza Jahanbakhsh grimaces in pain in front of Morocco's Romain Saiss.
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Uruguay's Luis Suarez, left, and Egypt's Sam Morsy battle for the ball on June 15. Uruguay won 1-0.
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Fans watch the Egypt-Uruguay match from temporary seats set up at the Ekaterinburg Arena. The seats had to be installed to meet FIFA's minimum-seating requirement.
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Egyptian midfielder Abdallah Said heads the ball during the match against Uruguay.
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Fedor Smolov fights off two Saudi defenders during the tournament opener, which Russia won 3-0 on June 14. Russia and Saudi Arabia came into the match as the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament.
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Fans watching from Yekaterinburg, Russia, celebrate Russia's first goal.
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The ball flies past Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf for Russia's fourth goal.
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A fan wears body paint in Russia's colors before the opening match.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the crowd before kickoff at the Luzhniki Stadium.
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Performers take part in the tournament's opening ceremony.
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British pop star Robbie Williams headlined the opening ceremony.
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Russian soprano Aida Garifullina sings during the opening ceremony.
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Portugal's Jose Fonte, in white, challenges Uruguay's Luis Suarez in the match between Uruguay and Portugal.
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English players react after their shootout win over Colombia on Tuesday, July 3. The match was tied 1-1 after extra time.
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Colombian striker Radamel Falcao heads the ball toward goal on Tuesday.
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England's Harry Kane tries to control the ball against Colombia. He scored a penalty during regulation time. It was his tournament-leading sixth goal.
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Falcao reacts after receiving a yellow card.
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Sweden's Emil Forsberg, left, celebrates after scoring against Switzerland on Tuesday. Sweden won 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals.
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A Sweden fan shows his support during the Switzerland match.
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Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri is challenged by Ludwig Augustinsson.
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Belgium players celebrate after Nacer Chadli, second from right, scored with just seconds remaining to win the round-of-16 match against Japan on Monday, July 2.
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Chadli slides the ball past Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to finish off Belgium's 3-2 comeback victory.
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A Japan supporter cries after the match.
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Takashi Inui, left, gave Japan a 2-0 lead early in the second half.
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Belgium defender Vincent Kompany nearly scores in the first half.
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Brazilian star Neymar is fouled by Mexican defender Edson Alvarez during their round-of-16 match on Monday. Brazil won 2-0.
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Neymar stretches for a cross to score Brazil's first goal in the 51st minute.
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Neymar is held on Paulinho's shoulders after the first goal.
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Mexico's Hirving Lozano watches the ball during the Brazil match. This is the seventh straight time that Mexico has been eliminated in the World Cup's round of 16.
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Croatia's Luka Modric celebrates with teammates after their victory over Denmark on Sunday, July 1. Croatia won on penalties after the match ended 1-1.
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Croatia's Ivan Perisic stops the ball during the Denmark match. Croatia will face Russia in the quarterfinals.
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Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev saves an Iago Aspas penalty to give Russia an upset victory over Spain in the round of 16 on Sunday. The match went to penalties after ending 1-1.
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Russian players mob Akinfeev after the final save.
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Russia's Artem Dzyuba celebrates after scoring against Spain in the first half.
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Spain's Isco and Russia's Mario Fernandes vie for the ball.
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Dzyuba is defended by Sergio Busquets.
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Edinson Cavani celebrates his second goal in a 2-0 victory over Portugal on Saturday, June 30.
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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo receives a yellow card from referee Cesar Ramos.
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Argentina's Lionel Messi reacts after his team was knocked out of the World Cup by France on Saturday. Messi had two assists in the 4-3 loss.
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Kylian Mbappe was the star in France's victory over Argentina. The teenage sensation scored twice and drew a penalty that gave France its first goal.
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An Argentine fan reacts after the match.
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Gabriel Mercado deflected a Messi shot past Hugo Lloris to give Argentina a brief 2-1 lead.
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French players celebrate after Benjamin Pavard tied the match at 2-2.
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France fans celebrate during the match against Argentina.
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Colombian defender Yerry Mina controls the ball during the match against Senegal on Thursday, June 28. Mina headed in a second-half goal to lift his team to a 1-0 victory -- and first place in Group H.
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Colombia's Juan Quintero jumps over Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye. Senegal finished with four points in Group H, the same as Japan, but Japan advanced on the "fair play points" tiebreaker. Japan had two fewer yellow cards in the tournament than Senegal.
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Senegal fans salute before the match against Colombia.
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Poland's Jan Bednarek, left, competes for the ball with Japan's Gotoku Sakai on Thursday. Poland won 1-0, but Japan advanced to the next round.
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Poland forward Robert Lewandowski dribbles through two Japan players.
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Japan supporters clear litter from the stands after the match.
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Belgium's Adnan Januzaj curls in a stunning goal against England on Thursday. It was the only goal of the match.
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The Belgium-England match was notable for how many top players didn't see the field. With both teams already assured a spot in the knockout stage, many of their usual starters took the night off. Among those on the bench for Belgium were captain Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.
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Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the winning goal against Panama on Thursday. Tunisia won 2-1.
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Panama players celebrate after an own goal gave them an early lead against Tunisia.
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Germany's Marco Reus reacts after his team lost to South Korea and was knocked out of the World Cup on Wednesday, June 27. The defending champions lost 2-0 and finished at the bottom of Group F.
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South Korea's Lee Jae-sung, left, chases down a ball with Germany's Jonas Hector.
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Ludwig Augustinsson celebrates after scoring Sweden's first goal in its 3-0 victory over Mexico on Wednesday. The result meant that Sweden would top Group F and Mexico would finish in second.
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Mexican defender Hector Moreno heads the ball in front of Swedish forward Marcus Berg.
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Brazilian defender Thiago Silva celebrates Wednesday, June 27, after his powerful header gave Brazil a 2-0 lead over Serbia. Brazil won Group E with two victories and a draw.
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Brazil's Willian and Serbia's Filip Kostic fight for the ball during Wednesday's match.
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Brazilian star Neymar controls the ball during the Serbia match.
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Switzerland's Blerim Dzemaili celebrates after scoring the first goal Wednesday in his team's 2-2 draw with Costa Rica. Switzerland finished second in its group to advance to the knockout stage.
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Kendall Waston had a goal for Costa Rica in the match against Switzerland.
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Costa Rican defender Cristian Gamboa vies for the ball with Swiss defender Ricardo Rodriguez.
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Argentina star Lionel Messi rides on the back of Marcos Rojo after Rojo's late winner against Nigeria on June 26. With the 2-1 victory, Argentina clinched a spot in the next round of the tournament.
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Rojo controls the ball earlier in the match against Nigeria.
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Argentina legend Diego Maradona was in the crowd once again, drawing attention from fans just as he did when he was a player.
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Croatia's Josip Pivaric prepares to chest the ball during the team's 1-0 win against Iceland on June 26. Croatia improved its record to 3-0 in the tournament.
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Croatia supporters kiss ahead of the match against Iceland.
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Danish players acknowledge fans after their scoreless draw with France on June 26. Both teams advanced to the knockout stage.
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Denmark's Martin Braithwaite, left, is tracked by France's N'Golo Kante, center, and Presnel Kimpembe.
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Australian player Mark Milligan is joined by his children after a 2-0 loss to Peru on June 26.
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Milligan stretches to clear a cross.
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Aaron Mooy tugs on the jersey of Peru's Paolo Guerrero.
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Portugal's Ricardo Quaresma, left, is embraced by Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring against Iran on June 25. Iran scored late to tie the match, but the 1-1 result was enough to see Portugal into the next round.
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An Iran fan enjoys the pre-match atmosphere.
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Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun shields the ball from Portuguese defender Jose Fonte.
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Moroccan goalkeeper Munir catches the ball against Spain.
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Egyptian star Mohamed Salah reacts after Saudi Arabia's winning goal in second-half stoppage time on June 25. Egypt lost all three of its matches at this World Cup.
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Salem Al-Dawsari celebrates with a flip after scoring the match-winning goal against Egypt.
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Russia's Artem Dzyuba, in white, competes with Uruguay's Sebastian Coates during Uruguay's 3-0 victory on June 25. Uruguay won all three of its matches in the group stage. This was Russia's first loss.
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A Uruguay fan, right, poses with a Russia fan before the match.
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Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez, left, reacts after the second goal deflected past Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.
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Colombian forward Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland on June 24. Colombia won 3-0.
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Colombian defender Yerry Mina opened the scoring with a header in the first half.
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A Colombia fan before the Poland match.
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Senegalese players huddle up before the second half of their match against Japan on June 24. The two teams tied 2-2.
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A shot of the crowd at the Ekaterinburg Arena during the Japan-Senegal match.
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English striker Harry Kane celebrates after scoring a penalty in the 6-1 rout of Panama on June 24. Kane finished with a hat trick.
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Panama players gather after their defeat.
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German players celebrate after Toni Kroos scored on a late free kick to stun Sweden 2-1 on June 23.
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South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng, right, argues with Mexico's Edson Alvarez as Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa lies on the ground on June 23. Mexico won 2-1 to clinch a spot in the next round.
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South Korea's Lee Yong, left, duels for the ball with Mexico's Hirving Lozano.
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A Mexico fan waits for the start of the match against South Korea.
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Belgium's Romelu Lukaku scores against Tunisia on June 23. He had a pair of goals in the match, which Belgium won 5-2.
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Captain Eden Hazard also scored two for Belgium.
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Players watch the ball during the Belgium-Tunisia match.
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Belgium's Jan Vertonghen, left, challenges Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri.
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Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Serbia on June 22. Switzerland won 2-1.
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Swiss players defend Serbia's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
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Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer catches the ball over Milinkovic-Savic.
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Nigerian midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo kicks the ball during the 2-0 victory over Iceland on June 22.
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Ahmed Musa celebrates after scoring his second goal of the match against Iceland.
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Iceland fans perform their famous viking clap.
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Neymar celebrates his last-second goal that finished off Brazil's 2-0 victory over Costa Rica on June 22.
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Neymar taps in his goal late in the match.
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Croatian players celebrate the second goal in their 3-0 victory over Argentina on June 21. The victory clinched them a spot in the knockout stage.
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Croatia's Luka Modric is tackled by Argentina's Nicolas Tagliafico.
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Willy Caballero is dejected after his flubbed clearance gifted Croatia its first goal.
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France's Kylian Mbappe, right, celebrates with teammate Antoine Griezmann after scoring against Peru on June 21. It was the only goal of the match.
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Peru's Andre Carrillo is challenged by French players Paul Pogba, left, and N'Golo Kante.
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A Peruvian supporter waits for the start of the match.
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Australia's Robbie Kruse, foreground, and Denmark's Henrik Dalsgaard go for a header during the teams' 1-1 draw on June 21.
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Australia's Joshua Risdon jumps over Thomas Delaney.
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Spain's Diego Costa, right, celebrates with teammate Isco after scoring against Iran on June 20. Spain won 1-0.
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A fan has his face painted with the colors of the Spanish flag on June 20.
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Referee Andres Cunha speaks with Iranian midfielder Ehsan Hajsafi during the match.
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal in Portugal's 1-0 win over Morocco on June 20. It was his tournament-leading fourth goal.
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Uruguay fans cheer outside the stadium before the match with Saudi Arabia on June 20.
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Saudi Arabia's Fahad Al-Muwallad, left, challenges Uruguay's Diego Godin.
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Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring for Uruguay in the 23rd minute. It was the only goal of the match, and the final result meant Uruguay and Russia would both advance to the tournament's knockout stage.
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Mohamed Salah kisses the ball before scoring a penalty for Egypt on June 19. Russia won, however, by a final score of 3-1.
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Egypt's Tarek Hamed, left, and Russia's Aleksandr Golovin compete for the ball.
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Russia's first goal came when the ball deflected off Egypt's Ahmed Fathi.
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Members of the Senegal team celebrate after defeating Poland 2-1 in their match on June 19.
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Japanese defender Gen Shoji climbs over Colombia's Radamel Falcao to win a header in their World Cup opener on June 19. Japan won the match 2-1.
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The referee shows a red card to Colombia's Carlos Sanchez in the third minute. Sanchez was deemed to have deliberately handled the ball in the box.
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English players celebrate Harry Kane's first goal in the 2-1 win over Tunisia on June 18. Kane later added the winner in second-half stoppage time.
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A Tunisia fan shows his dejection after the final whistle.
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Belgium's Dries Mertens, right, competes for the ball with Panama's Jose Luis Rodriguez during their World Cup opener on June 18. Mertens scored a goal in Belgium's 3-0 victory.
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Panamanian forward Gabriel Torres controls the ball during the match against Belgium.
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Sweden's Pontus Jansson, top left, and South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng try to head the ball during Sweden's 1-0 victory on June 18.
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Switzerland's Steven Zuber celebrates after scoring a goal against Brazil on June 17. The two teams tied 1-1.
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Brazil's Philippe Coutinho and Switzerland's Breel Embolo compete for the ball.
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Brazilian star Neymar recently came back from a foot injury.
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Mexico's Hirving Lozano, left, celebrates with Jesus Gallardo after scoring the only goal in the upset victory over Germany on June 17. Germany won the World Cup in 2014.
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Fans wave German flags before facing off with Mexico.
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Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa makes a late save against Mario Gomez.
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Marcos Ureña runs onto the pitch during Costa Rica's opening match against Serbia on June 17. Serbia won 1-0.
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Croatian players celebrate after Luka Modric scored the second goal of their 2-0 win against Nigeria on June 16.
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Nigerian captain John Obi Mikel runs with the ball during the Croatia match.
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Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen reacts after he scored a goal against Peru on June 16. It turned out to be the only goal in the match.
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Peru's Luis Advincula, left, and Denmark's Martin Braithwaite fight for the ball.
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Argentina star Lionel Messi appears downcast at the end of a 1-1 draw with Iceland on June 16. Messi missed a penalty in the match.
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Messi and Iceland's Hordur Magnusson struggle for the ball.
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Fans of France share a kiss before the team's opening match with Australia on June 16.
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French midfielder Paul Pogba keeps his eye on the ball against Australia. His shot deflected off an Australian for the match-winning goal.
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Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his first-half penalty against Spain on June 15. He added two more goals in the 3-3 draw.
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Spanish defender Nacho, left, competes for a header with Portugal's Bruno Fernandes. Nacho conceded the early penalty to Ronaldo but responded with a second-half goal.
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Fernando Hierro was making his debut as Spain's manager. The former captain took over two days ago when Spain fired Julen Lopetegui.
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Portuguese defender Raphael Guerreiro controls the ball in the match against Spain.
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Morocco's Aziz Bouhaddouz lies on the ground after heading the ball into his own net late in stoppage time on June 15. The whistle was blown just a few moments later, and Iran won 1-0.
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Iran's Alireza Jahanbakhsh grimaces in pain in front of Morocco's Romain Saiss.
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Uruguay's Luis Suarez, left, and Egypt's Sam Morsy battle for the ball on June 15. Uruguay won 1-0.
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Fans watch the Egypt-Uruguay match from temporary seats set up at the Ekaterinburg Arena. The seats had to be installed to meet FIFA's minimum-seating requirement.
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Egyptian midfielder Abdallah Said heads the ball during the match against Uruguay.
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Fedor Smolov fights off two Saudi defenders during the tournament opener, which Russia won 3-0 on June 14. Russia and Saudi Arabia came into the match as the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament.
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Fans watching from Yekaterinburg, Russia, celebrate Russia's first goal.
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The ball flies past Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf for Russia's fourth goal.
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A fan wears body paint in Russia's colors before the opening match.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the crowd before kickoff at the Luzhniki Stadium.
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Performers take part in the tournament's opening ceremony.
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British pop star Robbie Williams headlined the opening ceremony.
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Russian soprano Aida Garifullina sings during the opening ceremony.
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Portugal's Jose Fonte, in white, challenges Uruguay's Luis Suarez in the match between Uruguay and Portugal.
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English players react after their shootout win over Colombia on Tuesday, July 3. The match was tied 1-1 after extra time.
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Colombian striker Radamel Falcao heads the ball toward goal on Tuesday.
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England's Harry Kane tries to control the ball against Colombia. He scored a penalty during regulation time. It was his tournament-leading sixth goal.
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Falcao reacts after receiving a yellow card.
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Sweden's Emil Forsberg, left, celebrates after scoring against Switzerland on Tuesday. Sweden won 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals.
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A Sweden fan shows his support during the Switzerland match.
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Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri is challenged by Ludwig Augustinsson.
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Belgium players celebrate after Nacer Chadli, second from right, scored with just seconds remaining to win the round-of-16 match against Japan on Monday, July 2.
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Chadli slides the ball past Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to finish off Belgium's 3-2 comeback victory.
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A Japan supporter cries after the match.
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Takashi Inui, left, gave Japan a 2-0 lead early in the second half.
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Belgium defender Vincent Kompany nearly scores in the first half.
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Brazilian star Neymar is fouled by Mexican defender Edson Alvarez during their round-of-16 match on Monday. Brazil won 2-0.
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Neymar stretches for a cross to score Brazil's first goal in the 51st minute.
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Neymar is held on Paulinho's shoulders after the first goal.
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Mexico's Hirving Lozano watches the ball during the Brazil match. This is the seventh straight time that Mexico has been eliminated in the World Cup's round of 16.
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Croatia's Luka Modric celebrates with teammates after their victory over Denmark on Sunday, July 1. Croatia won on penalties after the match ended 1-1.
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Croatia's Ivan Perisic stops the ball during the Denmark match. Croatia will face Russia in the quarterfinals.
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Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev saves an Iago Aspas penalty to give Russia an upset victory over Spain in the round of 16 on Sunday. The match went to penalties after ending 1-1.
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Russian players mob Akinfeev after the final save.
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Russia's Artem Dzyuba celebrates after scoring against Spain in the first half.
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Spain's Isco and Russia's Mario Fernandes vie for the ball.
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Dzyuba is defended by Sergio Busquets.
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Edinson Cavani celebrates his second goal in a 2-0 victory over Portugal on Saturday, June 30.
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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo receives a yellow card from referee Cesar Ramos.
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Argentina's Lionel Messi reacts after his team was knocked out of the World Cup by France on Saturday. Messi had two assists in the 4-3 loss.
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Kylian Mbappe was the star in France's victory over Argentina. The teenage sensation scored twice and drew a penalty that gave France its first goal.
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An Argentine fan reacts after the match.
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Gabriel Mercado deflected a Messi shot past Hugo Lloris to give Argentina a brief 2-1 lead.
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French players celebrate after Benjamin Pavard tied the match at 2-2.
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France fans celebrate during the match against Argentina.
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Colombian defender Yerry Mina controls the ball during the match against Senegal on Thursday, June 28. Mina headed in a second-half goal to lift his team to a 1-0 victory -- and first place in Group H.
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Colombia's Juan Quintero jumps over Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye. Senegal finished with four points in Group H, the same as Japan, but Japan advanced on the "fair play points" tiebreaker. Japan had two fewer yellow cards in the tournament than Senegal.
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Senegal fans salute before the match against Colombia.
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Poland's Jan Bednarek, left, competes for the ball with Japan's Gotoku Sakai on Thursday. Poland won 1-0, but Japan advanced to the next round.
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Poland forward Robert Lewandowski dribbles through two Japan players.
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Japan supporters clear litter from the stands after the match.
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Belgium's Adnan Januzaj curls in a stunning goal against England on Thursday. It was the only goal of the match.
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The Belgium-England match was notable for how many top players didn't see the field. With both teams already assured a spot in the knockout stage, many of their usual starters took the night off. Among those on the bench for Belgium were captain Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.
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Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the winning goal against Panama on Thursday. Tunisia won 2-1.
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Panama players celebrate after an own goal gave them an early lead against Tunisia.
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Germany's Marco Reus reacts after his team lost to South Korea and was knocked out of the World Cup on Wednesday, June 27. The defending champions lost 2-0 and finished at the bottom of Group F.
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South Korea's Lee Jae-sung, left, chases down a ball with Germany's Jonas Hector.
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Ludwig Augustinsson celebrates after scoring Sweden's first goal in its 3-0 victory over Mexico on Wednesday. The result meant that Sweden would top Group F and Mexico would finish in second.
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Mexican defender Hector Moreno heads the ball in front of Swedish forward Marcus Berg.
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Brazilian defender Thiago Silva celebrates Wednesday, June 27, after his powerful header gave Brazil a 2-0 lead over Serbia. Brazil won Group E with two victories and a draw.
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Brazil's Willian and Serbia's Filip Kostic fight for the ball during Wednesday's match.
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Brazilian star Neymar controls the ball during the Serbia match.
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Switzerland's Blerim Dzemaili celebrates after scoring the first goal Wednesday in his team's 2-2 draw with Costa Rica. Switzerland finished second in its group to advance to the knockout stage.
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Kendall Waston had a goal for Costa Rica in the match against Switzerland.
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Costa Rican defender Cristian Gamboa vies for the ball with Swiss defender Ricardo Rodriguez.
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Argentina star Lionel Messi rides on the back of Marcos Rojo after Rojo's late winner against Nigeria on June 26. With the 2-1 victory, Argentina clinched a spot in the next round of the tournament.
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Rojo controls the ball earlier in the match against Nigeria.
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Argentina legend Diego Maradona was in the crowd once again, drawing attention from fans just as he did when he was a player.
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Croatia's Josip Pivaric prepares to chest the ball during the team's 1-0 win against Iceland on June 26. Croatia improved its record to 3-0 in the tournament.
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Croatia supporters kiss ahead of the match against Iceland.
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Danish players acknowledge fans after their scoreless draw with France on June 26. Both teams advanced to the knockout stage.
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Denmark's Martin Braithwaite, left, is tracked by France's N'Golo Kante, center, and Presnel Kimpembe.
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Australian player Mark Milligan is joined by his children after a 2-0 loss to Peru on June 26.
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Milligan stretches to clear a cross.
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Aaron Mooy tugs on the jersey of Peru's Paolo Guerrero.
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Portugal's Ricardo Quaresma, left, is embraced by Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring against Iran on June 25. Iran scored late to tie the match, but the 1-1 result was enough to see Portugal into the next round.
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An Iran fan enjoys the pre-match atmosphere.
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Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun shields the ball from Portuguese defender Jose Fonte.
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Moroccan goalkeeper Munir catches the ball against Spain.
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Egyptian star Mohamed Salah reacts after Saudi Arabia's winning goal in second-half stoppage time on June 25. Egypt lost all three of its matches at this World Cup.
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Salem Al-Dawsari celebrates with a flip after scoring the match-winning goal against Egypt.
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Russia's Artem Dzyuba, in white, competes with Uruguay's Sebastian Coates during Uruguay's 3-0 victory on June 25. Uruguay won all three of its matches in the group stage. This was Russia's first loss.
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A Uruguay fan, right, poses with a Russia fan before the match.
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Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez, left, reacts after the second goal deflected past Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.
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Colombian forward Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland on June 24. Colombia won 3-0.
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Colombian defender Yerry Mina opened the scoring with a header in the first half.
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A Colombia fan before the Poland match.
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Senegalese players huddle up before the second half of their match against Japan on June 24. The two teams tied 2-2.
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A shot of the crowd at the Ekaterinburg Arena during the Japan-Senegal match.
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English striker Harry Kane celebrates after scoring a penalty in the 6-1 rout of Panama on June 24. Kane finished with a hat trick.
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READ: Nigeria captain got ransom demand for father before game
Is football 'coming home?'
Little was expected of this young England team when it left for Russia. There were others with more experience, better teams packed with superstars and pedigree.
But with this being the World Cup which has had little respect for reputation, sending Spain, Germany, Argentina and Portugal tumbling, English hopes have increased with every heavyweight exit.
Pints are thrown, limbs go flying and screams are deafening as fans in London, England celebrate their team reaching the last eight of the World Cup.
Social media had been awash, perhaps initially with tongue firmly in cheek, with England fans claiming football was "coming home," the chorus of the country's favorite football song "Three Lions," written when England hosted the European Championships in 1996 and reached the semifinals.
The English are now the only previous winners in their half of the draw and though they have some way to go before replicating the feats of 1966, the only time the country has won football's biggest prize, even the gloomiest of fan will now perhaps be captivated.
Sweden -- eight places below the English in FIFA's world rankings -- will be a dangerous opponent, but it is a tie England will be expected to successfully negotiate.
The tenacious Swedes -- who reached their first World Cup quarterfinal in 24 years thanks to a 1-0 win over Switzerland -- will not be obliging opponents.
Sweden, after all, topped a group which featured Germany and, though it is a team without superstars, its unity and discipline has already seen off South Korea, Mexico and the Swiss.
Southgate himself tempered expectations.
"This is special but I want us to go on now," the Englishman added on ITV.
"Sweden, it's another team we have a poor record against. We've underestimated them for years. They're brilliant at what they do. It's going to be a real tough test."
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From injury-time heartbreak to penalty joy for England
England controlled the beat of a high-tempo opening, pressing with urgency and keeping the opposition largely in its own half.
Without the injured James Rodriquez, captain Radamel Falcao was an isolated figure in Colombia's attack and, starved of possession and opportunity, the former Manchester United and Chelsea striker posed little threat.
But for all its dominance in the middle of the park there were few chances for England in the first half, the best falling to Kane in the 15th minute from a Kieran Trippier cross. But, from an acute angle, the striker headed over the crossbar.
The major talking point of the half came off the ball just before the break when replays showed Wilmar Barrios pushing his head first against Jordan Henderson's chest and then his chin.
The England midfielder, who was the only English player to miss a penalty in the shootout, fell to the ground, but the offense was deemed worthy of a yellow card only.
Henderson falls to the ground after being hit by Barrios.
With comfortable victories over the lower-ranked Tunisia and Panama in the group stages, followed by defeat to an understrength Belgium after having already qualified, this was supposed to be the biggest test of the tournament for England but, in truth, for the majority of the match Colombia only tested the English temperament.
Within minutes after the break, the Colombians were punished for their ill-discipline -- the referee caught Carlos Sanchez rugby tackling Kane to the ground at a corner and had no hesitation in awarding the spot-kick.
Kane is the first England player to score six goals at a World Cup since Gary Lineker in 1990.
Some Colombians argued with the referee while others scuffed the penalty spot with their studs, but it made little difference to Kane who calmly scored his sixth goal of this tournament, putting him in prime position for the Golden Boot award.
As Colombia searched for an equalizer, England threatened on the counter-attack, though Colombia did have an opportunity in t
he 80th minute.
Kyle Walker lost the ball in Colombia's half, the South Americans rapidly attacked but Juan Cuadrado shot into the stands when he should have at least tested Pickford.
Mina scores to sent the match into extra-time.
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Pickford, going into this match questions over whether he was worthy of a starting spot, produced a sensational save to deny Uribe from distance in injury time but, deep in injury time, the England goalkeeper could do little to prevent the equalizer.
From a corner, Mina headed beyond the diving Pickford and Trippier, who was standing on the line, to set up a grandstand finish.
In the first-half of injury time England faced wave after wave of yellow-shirted attacks -- Falaco and Mina tested with headers -- but England held firm and regained its composure in the final 15 minutes before the match concluded with a dramatic climax
News Courtesy: www.cnn.com
