BC-SOC--Euro 2016 Digest

SOC--EURO 2016-WALES-PORTUGAL

LYON, France - Portugal and Wales meet for a place in the final of the European Championship, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale - Real Madrid teammates and football's two most expensive players - bearing the hopes of their nations. By Steve Douglas. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Match starts at 2100 GMT. With sidebars.

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SOC--EURO 2016-PORTUGAL-WALES-SCENE

LYON, France - Thousands of Wales fans are descending on Lyon to see their national team in a tournament semifinal for the first time. It's a more familiar situation for supporters of opponent Portugal, which is playing its fourth European Championship semifinal. By Rob Harris. UPCOMING: 400 words, photos.

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SOC--EURO 2016-GERMANY

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - Depleted Germany is hoping captain Bastian Schweinsteiger can recover in time to play against France in Thursday's semifinal. Schweinsteiger, who took a knock to his injury-prone right knee in the quarterfinal win over Italy, started the side's last training session Wednesday before the squad's departure for Marseille. Germany is without the injured Mario Gomez and Sami Khedira as well as the suspended Mats Hummels for the clash against France. By Ciaran Fahey. UPCOMING: 400 words by 1300 GMT, photos.

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SOC--EURO 2016-MARSEILLE-SCENE

MARSEILLE, France - Under the watchful eye of dozens of police officers, German fans mingle peacefully with locals at Marseille's historic Old Port, a day before the world champion takes on the host nation in the European Championship's second semifinal. By Mike Corder. UPCOMING: 500 words by 1700 GMT.

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SOC--EURO 2016-FRANCE-TACTICS

MARSEILLE, France - France's best performance of the European Championship, a 5-2 win against Iceland in the quarterfinals, came after coach Didier Deschamps made two unforced changes to his lineup. Now, with midfielder N'Golo Kante and center half Adil Rami back from suspension, he must decide whether to bring them back into the side for the semifinal against Germany - or stick with Moussa Sissoko and the inexperienced Samuel Umtiti. By Jerome Pugmire. UPCOMING: 500 words by 1500 GMT, photos.

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SOC-EURO-2016-FRANCE

MARSEILLE, France - France coach Didier Deschamps and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris hold a news conference in Marseille ahead of the European Championship semifinal against Germany. By Jerome Pugmire. UPCOMING: 500 words by 1400 GMT, photos.