Lukaku double drives Belgium

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic is prepared to make changes for Sunday's World Cup final against France if some of his players have not recovered from their exertions in reaching football's biggest game.

Dalic's men have been forced to go through three periods of extra-time against Denmark, Russia and England to become the smallest country in 68 years to make the final.

"Tomorrow is the World Cup final. Simply, the players know what that is," Dalic said on Saturday.

"One thing that brings me happiness is that all my players tell me if they are not 100 percent fit. They will concede and say they are not fit. They know what is at stake, but if they are unable to give their all they will tell us. They have such an attitude."

Ivan Perisic, who scored and set up Mario Mandzukic's winner in a 2-1 semi-final win over England, was among five Croatian players to miss training on Friday.

"We have nothing to train. We need relaxation and rest to gain freshness for tomorrow. We have some minor injuries, minor problems, and I hope my players will be ready. If not, I have great players on the bench who will be raring to go."

France and Croatia go into Sunday's World Cup final in Moscow with the same starting line-ups as in their semi-final wins over Belgium and England respectively.

Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann support Olivier Giroud in attack in France's 4-2-3-1 formation, while Ivan Perisic and Ivan Strinic, who had been pre-match injury doubts, have been passed fit for Croatia.

Perisic was the star of Croatia's 2-1 extra-time victory over England at the same Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday, scoring his country's equaliser and then setting up the winner for Mario Mandzukic.

Croatia are in their first ever final, while France are aiming to win the trophy for the second time, after beating Brazil 3-0 in the final as hosts in 1998.

France beat Belgium 1-0 in the semi-final with a Samuel Umtiti goal in the second half.

Starting line-ups for the World Cup final between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Sunday (1500 GMT kick-off):

France (4-3-3)

Hugo Lloris (capt); Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernandez; Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante; Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, Blaise Matuidi; Olivier Giroud

Coach: Didier Deschamps (FRA)

Croatia (4-3-3)

Danijel Subasic; Sime Vrsaljko, Dejan Lovren, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinic; Luka Modric (capt), Marcelo Brozovic, Ivan Rakitic; Ante Rebic, Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic

Coach: Zlatko Dalic (CRO)

Referee: Nestor Pitana (ARG)

Romelu Lukaku scored but was sent off in the closing minutes as Roma finished with nine men in a 1-1 draw at home to Fiorentina on Sunday in Serie A.

Paulo Dybala picked out Lukaku with a clever cross as the Belgium striker headed Roma in front in the fifth minute at the Stadio Olimpico.

Defender Lucas Martinez Quarta glanced in from Christian Kouame's curling delivery to equalise for Fiorentina midway through the second half, just after Nicola Zalewski was dismissed for a second yellow card.

Roma were then left clinging on as Lukaku also saw red late on for a wild challenge on Kouame.

Jose Mourinho's side reclaimed fourth place from Bologna, who had briefly moved into the Champions League spots with a 2-1 win at bottom club Salernitana.

Monza climbed into the top half of the table courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Genoa, while Frosinone and Torino played out a goalless draw.

Lewis Hamilton will arrive in Sochi ahead of this weekend's Russian Grand Prix determined not to lose any more ground in his tightly-contested battle with Sebastian Vettel in this year's title race.

The three-time world champion knows that even the smallest of errors, by driver or team, can decide the outcome after revealing that he suffered from a minor issue in Bahrain that may have cost him pole in qualifying.

The Briton said his Mercedes car had a slight problem with the engagement of its Drag Reduction System (DRS) during the decisive session and this may have handed his team-mate Valtteri Bottas his maiden pole position.

"It's painful," said Hamilton, talking about his realisation that just a fraction of a second may have been so costly in that race.

"I lost two tenths from Turn 10 to 11 when the DRS didn't engage in qualifying and I lost half a tenth out of the last corner. So, I should easily have been on pole."

Hamilton's pain was moderated by the knowledge that four-time champion Vettel was faster in the race in his Ferrari, even though his advantage was only marginal as the Englishman stormed after him in the closing laps.

"I lost position at the start, solely my fault," added Hamilton.

"Then you've got the time lost in the pit-lane and you practice and practice and practice and practice and practice -- and you only have 20 opportunities this year.

"So when you screw up, man, it's painful. There's no other way of saying it. When you guys mess up in your job, I don't know how you feel about it, but particularly when it has big consequences, potentially, I'm sure you feel gutted as well.

"And so I try to handle it the best way I can, but it eats you up a little bit inside and you've just got to end up trying to cope and move forward."

Hamilton's DRS failed to engage on the back straight in Bahrain and, he hopes, he can avoid a similar weekend of frustration back at the Sochi Autodrom, a part-street circuit built around the Olympic Park that hosted the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, by the Black Sea.

History suggests he should start the race as favourite as Mercedes won all three of the previous contests in 2014, 2015 and 2016, Hamilton triumphing in the first two and retired champion German Nico Rosberg last year.

The Mercedes team also enjoyed one-two finishes in 2014 and 2016 while Vettel can point to one podium finish with Ferrari, taking second place in 2015.

It is expected to be a very different contest this time with Ferrari a greater threat in race trim even if Mercedes can maintain their run of three pole positions at the circuit.

After three rounds this year, Vettel and Ferrari have won twice and Hamilton and Mercedes once, an outcome that has put Vettel on 68 points ahead of Hamilton on 61 ahead of the Russian race.

A rueful Hamilton added: "I don't remember thinking it was necessarily my fault we did not win in Australia, not in the sense that I ran out of tyres and had to pit...

"But in Bahrain there were certain things and if they were perfect, I would have been in a far better position to fight for the win... And I didn't put myself in that position.

"It's only a small percentage, which is what racing should be all about, but we want to operate at the top end."

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was not included in Belgium's Euro 2024 squad named on Tuesday as he recovers full fitness following a season marred by injury.

The 32-year-old ruptured the cruciate ligament in his left knee last August and then suffered a meniscus injury in March.

As a result, the former Chelsea shot-stopper did not make his comeback until the beginning of this month, although he did start four of Madrid's last five games of the season in La Liga.

"He was very honest with me," said Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco. "He knows his body. It is one thing to play three or four matches, but another to play the Euros."

Tedesco added: "He is not ready for the Euros, and we have to play with those who are able to."

The coach will have to choose a number one between Koen Casteels of Wolfsburg, Matz Sels of Nottingham Forest and Thomas Kaminski of Luton Town.

Meanwhile, veteran Atletico Madrid defender or midfielder Axel Witsel was included in the squad at the age of 35.

"We need him. He is experienced and can help the youngsters, whether he plays or not," said Tedesco, who also called up 37-year-old Anderlecht centre-back Jan Vertonghen and 19-year-old Atletico midfielder Arthur Vermeeren.

Belgium, who are in Group E at the Euros along with Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine, will play friendly matches against Montenegro on June 5 and Luxembourg on June 8 before heading to Germany for the tournament.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg/GER), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town/ENG), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest/ENG)

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham/ENG), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Wout Faes (Leicester City/ENG), Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor/TUR), Arthur Theate (Rennes/FRA), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid/ESP)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/ENG), Orel Mangala (Lyon/FRA), Amadou Onana (Everton/ENG), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa/ENG), Arthur Vermeeren (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Aster Vranckx (Wolfsburg/GER)

Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Yannick Carrasco (Al Shabab/KSA), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta/ITA), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City/ENG), Romelu Lukaku (Roma/ITA), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla/ESP), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig/GER), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal/ENG)