AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:02 p.m. EST

France advances to semifinals at World Cup, tops England 2-1

AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — Kylian Mbappe and France made it back to the semifinals of the World Cup by beating England 2-1. Olivier Giroud scored in the 78th minute at Al Bayt Stadium to keep France on course to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. England striker Harry Kane had a chance to even the score late in the match but he sent a penalty attempt over the bar. It was his second spot kick of the match. He earlier scored to make it 1-1 after Aurelien Tchouameni had given France the lead. France will next face Morocco in the semifinals on Wednesday.

Morocco reaches World Cup semifinals, tops Portugal, Ronaldo

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Morocco became the first African country to reach the World Cup semifinals by beating Portugal 1-0 to likely end Cristiano Ronaldo’s chances of winning soccer’s biggest prize. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute to continue Morocco’s improbable run that has generated an outpouring of pride in the Arab world during the first World Cup to be staged in the Middle East. The 37-year-old Ronaldo is one of soccer’s greatest players. He didn’t start for the second straight game but came on as a substitute in the 51st minute. Morocco will next play defending champion France in the semifinals.

AP source: Saints fined for violating rule on faking injury

NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with the penalty says the NFL has fined the New Orleans Saints $350,000 and gave additional fines to two coaches and a player for faking an injury during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The person says coach Dennis Allen was fined $100,000 fine, co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen $50,000 and defensive end Cameron Jordan $50,000 for the delay in the fourth quarter of the Buccaneers’ 17-16 comeback win Monday night. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league doesn’t announce fines. The Saints denied purposefully delaying the game and said they planned to appeal the fines.

US soccer journalist Grant Wahl dies at World Cup

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Grant Wahl, an American journalist who helped grow the popularity of soccer in the U.S. and reported on some of the biggest stories in the sport, dies while covering a World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands. He was 49. The organizing committee said Wahl received immediate emergency medical treatment on site, which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital. Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup. He wrote Monday that he had visited a medical clinic while in Qatar and was given antibiotics and cough syrup for a possible case of bronchitis.

Memorial to American writer Wahl placed at World Cup game

AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — American soccer writer Grant Wahl has been honored with a tribute from FIFA on the desk where he was due to work at the World Cup quarterfinal match between France and England. A posy of white lilies and a framed photograph of Wahl taken in Qatar was left at the media seat that had been assigned to the 49-year-old journalist. He died while working at the World Cup in the early hours of Saturday. FIFA says “tonight we pay tribute to Grant Wahl at his assigned seat in Al Bayt Stadium. He should have been here.” Wahl fell ill while working during extra time of the Argentina-Netherlands game on Friday at Lusail Stadium.

Ronaldo fails again in likely last chance to win World Cup

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — There will be no World Cup title for Cristiano Ronaldo in what was likely his last appearance at soccer’s biggest tournament. He was on the bench at the start for the second straight match and couldn’t help Portugal come back to beat Morocco. The Portuguese lost 1-0 in the quarterfinals. The 37-year-old Ronaldo walked off the field in tears. Ronaldo came on as a substitute early in the second half with his team already losing. He replaced midfielder Rúben Neves in the 51st minute for his 196th international men’s appearance. That was the most of all time along with Kuwait forward Badr Al-Mutawa.

Messi snarls, taunts and thrills in World Cup classic

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi was going to do anything to get to the World Cup semifinals whether it was in the rule book or not. Soccer fans saw another side to Messi in Argentina’s wild penalty-shootout victory over the Netherlands. Everyone knows about his outrageous skills, his mesmerizing dribbling ability and his relentless goalscoring. But here he was scrapping, snarling, taunting. There’s a street-fighter mentality that is never far from the surface when it comes to Argentina’s national team and it revealed itself against the Dutch in a match that boiled over on numerous occasions. Messi was right in the middle of it

Griner’s home, but WNBA players still competing overseas

More than half of WNBA players are competing abroad this winter to supplement their incomes. But due to the 10-month saga that All-Star Brittney Griner endured in Russia, her colleagues avoided that country and are fanned out in Australia, Turkey, Italy and other places. Griner returned to the United States on Friday after a high-level prisoner exchange. The WNBA and NBA salaries are vastly different. And playing overseas can be lucrative for professional women’s players. But the WNBA has increased its marketing deals with players to have them stay in the U.S. during the offseason and promote the league.

No. 8 Alabama mounts comeback, beats No. 1 Houston 71-65

HOUSTON (AP) — No. 8 Alabama rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to stun No. 1 Houston 71-65. Noah Clowney had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Jaden Bradley added 12 points and Mark Sears scored 11 points for Alabama. The Crimson Tide won their second game this season against a No. 1 ranked team after beating North Carolina 103-101 in four overtimes on Nov. 27. Alabama became the second men’s team to beat two No. 1 ranked teams in the same season, joining Oklahoma in 1990.