US women in familiar place reaching semifinals of World Cup, joined by Germany, France and Spain

BERLIN (AP) — The U.S. put forth a dominant performance to reach the semifinals of the women's FIBA World Cup again. Spain awaits the Americans there.

Host Germany and France will play in the other medal-round game Saturday. The gold- and bronze-medal games are Sunday.

The Americans routed Hungary 108-56, which was the second-biggest margin of victory in the quarterfinals in World Cup history. The 108 points also was the most ever by a team in the quarterfinals. The U.S. also had 31 assists, which was the most in the knockout round as well.

“We talked about just getting better with each game, and I think we did that today, especially with how we shared (the basketball),” Rhyne Howard said. “I think if we continue to play like that and continue to keep everybody on the same page, continue to move the ball, it’s going to be really hard to stop us.”

The Americans had a balanced offense with five players scoring in double figures.

“Everybody’s just all dialed in offensively and defensively,” Angel Reese said. “We talked about our keys, what it’s going to take to win gold, and I think tonight we did everything that coach asked us to do.”

Getting to the semifinals is nothing new for the U.S., which has won 34 straight games overall and the last four World Cup titles. Germany and France are both newcomers to this round. The host nation shocked Belgium, which went undefeated in group play. It's the sixth consecutive World Cup that the host nation has reached the semifinals. During that stretch only the Czech Republic in 2010 made the championship game as the host.

France continued its dominant play in the tournament so far, running past China. The French squad, which lost to the U.S. in the 2024 Paris Olympics by one point, has been incredible on both ends of the court in its four games.

Making the semifinals for the first time meant a lot to French players, but they do have loftier goals in mind.

“It means a lot. I mean, we want to be one of the greatest teams ever to put on the French jersey,” French captain Gabby Williams said. 'Obviously, like we have a big goal for this tournament, but it’s great to check this off the list."

German coach Olaf Lange was thrilled to lead his home country to new heights. He wanted to take the night to savor the historic win before focusing on the tall task ahead with France.

Spain topped Australia in the final game Thursday to reach the semifinals for the first time since it hosted the event in 2018. The Spaniards are led by Iyana Martin, Megan DiLeo and World Cup veteran Alba Torrens. The 37-year-old is playing in her fourth World Cup and has helped Spain win medals in the previous three.

“For us it means a lot because we missed the Worlds in 2022 and now it's been eight years,” Torrens said. “We know how difficult it is so for today it's a big day for us. We are very happy because so many people worked hard for this victory.”

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Spain's Awa Fam and Australia's Isabelle Bourne rebound during the Women's Basketball World Cup quarterfinal match between Australia and Spain in Berlin, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

French players wave to fans after the Women's Basketball World Cup quarterfinal match between the China and France in Berlin, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

German players celebrate after the Women's Basketball World Cup quarterfinal match between Germany and Belgium in Berlin, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Hungary's Kinga Josepovits guards Angel Reese, of the United States, during the Women's Basketball World Cup quarterfinal match between the United States and Hungary in Berlin, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drones targeted roadside gas stations in Kyiv for a second straight day Friday, as Moscow broadened its air war in what Ukrainian officials say is an effort to rattle civilians.

Russian strikes on urban gas stations have intensified in recent months, mostly in regions near the front line in eastern and southern Ukraine. It is part of a campaign to disrupt civilian life and weaken morale that has also included attacks on food distribution hubs, sporadically leaving some supermarket shelves bare in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukraine is urgently trying to improve its air defenses as Russia's invasion stretches into its fifth year, and on Thursday won pledges of more support from Canada.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has extended its own long-range drone campaign deep into Russia, straining air defenses across its bigger neighbor’s vast territory. On Thursday, its military reported hitting a refinery more than 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles) away in Siberia as Kyiv tries to hurt Russia’s vital oil sector. Its strikes have caused fuel shortages in Russia, one of the world’s biggest energy producers.

Russia’s oil product exports hit record lows in August, and Moscow is importing fuel from South Korea and India, the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air said in a report.

“Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s refining capacity have turned tables on the world’s once largest oil product exporter to see them start importing fuels, with imports surging to a record 172,000 metric tons (189,600 tons) in August — more than seven times the previous monthly high,” the Finland-registered nonprofit said Thursday.

Drones hit two gas stations in 10 minutes in Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi and Obolonskyi districts Friday. Five people, including a rescuer, were wounded, the State Emergency Service said.

Ukrainian officials and analysts have warned for months that Russia would extend gas station strikes to the capital as part of its campaign to intimidate civilians.

“Russia is systematically attacking places where it knows people will be spending their time going about their daily lives, seeking to maximize casualties, spread fear, and put pressure on Ukrainian society,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X late Thursday.

Authorities have urged residents not to linger near gas stations and other exposed infrastructure during air raid alerts.

Pavlohrad, a city in central Ukraine, observed an official day of mourning Friday for five residents killed near shopping malls in broad daylight by Russian drones the previous day.

The attack also wounded 67 people, Sybiha said on X.

In the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, a 32-year-old woman and her 10-year-old son were wounded in an overnight Russian drone attack, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said. The drones struck a nine-story apartment block and a shopping mall, it said.

Efforts to put out the blazes were slowed by the constant threat of repeat strikes, forcing firefighters to stop working and take shelter, it added.

Ukraine launched a major barrage overnight from Thursday to Friday, with the Russian Defense Ministry saying air defenses intercepted 777 Ukrainian drones over 16 Russian regions, as well as occupied Crimea and the waters of the Azov and the Caspian seas.

Two people were killed and three others wounded overnight in a Ukrainian drone attack on the Tula region south of Moscow, local officials said Friday.

A Ukrainian drone strike during the night started a fire at the Saratov oil refinery in southwestern Russia, Russian independent online outlet Astra said Friday.

Kyiv has repeatedly targeted that refinery, which was last hit in early August.

Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

A civilian walks by after a gas station was hit by a Russian drone in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A civilian reacts after a gas station was hit by a Russian drone in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A policeman smokes near a damaged gas station after a Russian drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A worker leaves the damaged gas station after a Russian drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)