PARIS (AP) — The Latest from the European Championship (all times local):
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10:48 p.m.
Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal into its second European Championship final, scoring with a header and setting up Nani’s goal soon after in a 2-0 win over Wales on Wednesday.
The goals came in the space of three minutes early in the second half in Lyon, helping end Wales’ unlikely run to the semifinals in only its second ever major tournament.
Ronaldo tied with Michel Platini on nine goals as the leading scorer in European Championship history when he timed a prodigious leap to perfection and powered home a header in the 50th.
The Real Madrid star then sent in a long-range shot that a sliding Nani diverted into the net from 10 meters.
Ronaldo gets another chance to win his first trophy on the international stage, with Portugal playing France or Germany in Sunday’s final at the Stade de France.
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10:25 p.m.
Cristiano Ronaldo has equaled Michel Platini’s record of nine goals at the European Championship.
Ronaldo’s goal in the 50th minute against Wales was his third goal of Euro 2016. His other six goals came in the previous three editions of the continental competition.
Platini scored all nine of his goals in the 1984 tournament for champion France.
Ronaldo already set a European Championship record here by scoring in a fourth finals tournament.
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10:10 p.m.
Nani stretched near the penalty spot to divert Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot from outside the penalty area past Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who was wrong-footed by the deflection. Portugal leads 2-0.
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10:08 p.m.
GOAL: Nani scores for Portugal in the 53rd minute. Portugal leads Wales 2-0.
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10:07 p.m.
Cristiano Ronaldo soared above his marker James Chester to head the ball high into the goal after a cross from the left flank by Raphael Guerreiro following a short corner. Portugal leads Wales 1-0.
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10:05 p.m.
GOAL: Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Portugal in the 50th minute. Portugal leads Wales 1-0.
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9:44 p.m.
Portugal and Wales are drawing 0-0 at halftime in a tightly contested European Championship semifinal match, with Gareth Bale outshining Cristiano Ronaldo so far in Lyon.
Impressing in his roving role for the Welsh, Bale fired over from a short-corner routine and had a long-distance shot saved after a surging 50-meter run. Andy King also went close for Wales when he headed over.
Ronaldo – Bale’s Real Madrid teammate – has been shackled well by the Welsh defense, although James Collins perhaps got too close to the Portugal captain when he wrapped him in a headlock as they competed for a cross.
Portugal, which has won just one of its six semifinal matches at major tournaments, has largely been restricted to long-range shots.
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9:22 p.m.
Now tournament volunteers want to have their photo taken with Cristiano Ronaldo.
A red-shirted young man who took part in the pre-game dance sequence on the field joined Ronaldo in the official Portugal team photograph before the semifinal against Wales kicked off.
Ronaldo appeared to consent to the audacious request and the man stood beside the Portugal star in the back row.
Earlier at Euro 2016, a fan ran on the field to have a selfie taken with Ronaldo after Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Austria in Paris.
Ronaldo made security staff wait for the photo to be taken before leading the fan away.
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8:40 p.m.
Germany coach Joachim Loew says midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be in his starting lineup for Thursday’s semifinal against France at the European Championship.
Schweinsteiger had been an injury doubt after straining a ligament in his right knee during the quarterfinal win over France but Loew says he showed he was fully fit in training Wednesday.
Loew says Schweinsteiger will ”definitely start” the France game and that ”he has the strength and physical conditioning to play from the start.”
Loew adds ”if he isn’t quite fit enough we have a lot of options to substitute him.”
Germany is depleted for the semifinal, with midfielder Sami Khedira and forward Mario Gomez both injured, while center-back Mats Hummels is suspended.
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8:05 p.m.
Portugal will be without key central defender Pepe for its semifinal against Wales after he failed to recover from a thigh muscle injury.
Coach Fernando Santos has opted to give 34-year-old Bruno Alves his first minutes of the tournament in place of Pepe. Santos had said Pepe would be a match-day decision based on his fitness after he missed training on Monday and trained separately on Tuesday.
Also for Portugal, Danilo replaced suspended holding midfielder William Carvalho, while Raphael Guerreiro returns at left back after recovering from injury.
Wales manager Chris Coleman has entrusted the midfield spot left vacant by the suspended Aaron Ramsey to Andy King. James Collins takes the spot of the suspended Ben Davies in defense.
There are no surprises up front for either side, where Real Madrid teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are ready to square off.
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8:00 p.m.
Here are the lineups for the semifinal between Portugal and Wales at Stade de Lyon:
Portugal: Rui Patricio, Cedric Soares, Jose Fonte, Bruno Alves, Raphael Guerreiro, Danilo, Joao Mario, Renato Sanches, Adrien Silva, Nani, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Wales: Wayne Hennessey, James Chester, Ashley Williams, James Collins, Chris Gunter, Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Andy King, Neil Taylor, Hal Robson-Kanu, Gareth Bale.
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7:10 p.m.
The Russian Football Union says a clearout of top national team players is planned ahead of the World Cup amid worries they lack the desire to represent the country.
Russia was last in its Euro 2016 group with losses to Slovakia and Wales and a draw with England, prompting fears of a similar failure as host nation at the World Cup in 2018.
RFU president Vitaly Mutko, who is also Russia’s sports minister, says there will be a ”renewed team” in the coming months.
Mutko adds ”maybe a (new player) will have less class, but he must have huge desire to play for his country,” in comments reported by the Tass agency.
Russia is also looking for a new coach after Leonid Slutsky quit following the Euro exit.
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6:50 p.m.
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will not spend much time researching how Germany’s players take penalties, in case their European Championship semifinal goes to a shootout on Thursday.
Although Germany beat Italy on penalties to reach the semis, Lloris says there is a limited amount to gain from studying their techniques.
”You shouldn’t just focus on that,” he said. ”What counts is your intuition … It’s really down to the moment.”
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2 p.m.
Germany is hoping captain Bastian Schweinsteiger can recover to play the European Championship semifinal against France in Marseille on Thursday.
Schweinsteiger, who took a knock to his injury-prone right knee in Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Italy, started the team’s last training session at its tournament base on Wednesday but his participation remains in question.
Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Weigl or Liverpool’s Emre Can could step in for their tournament debuts if the 31-year-old Schweinsteiger doesn’t make it.
Germany will certainly be without striker Mario Gomez and midfielder Sami Khedira through injury, and defender Mats Hummels, who is suspended.
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12:10 p.m.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has called a lavish Monaco party attended by members of the Russian national team ”a shameless display of conceit.”
Dmitry Peskov sought to lower tensions about the party, pointing to conflicting reports about who paid for the party in the glitzy French Riviera resort.
Video posted online appears to show forward Alexander Kokorin and midfielder Pavel Mamaev in a nightclub, with waiters carrying dozens of bottles of champagne, as the Russian anthem played.
At home, Russians are angry with national football team players who were filmed partying after crashing out of Euro 2016.
After losing to Wales, Slovakia and drawing with England Russia exited in the group stage in France.
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11:40 a.m.
Britain’s Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, has sent a message to the Wales football team, wishing it luck in Wednesday’s European Championship semifinal match against Portugal.
”As you prepare for what will be – so far – the most important night in the history of Welsh football, I did just want to send you all my special thoughts and wishes,” Prince Charles said.
”Throughout the whole championship, you have set an inspiring example of teamwork and sportsmanship and I have no doubt that in this latest game you will continue to give your country even greater cause for pride.”
”Dymuniadau gorau ichi I gyd,” (“Best wishes to all of you”), the heir to the throne wrote in the Celtic language of Welsh.
Gareth Bale and Wales give a final thank you to the fans after their dream run came to an end against Portugal.
