England's World Cup semifinal loss sets somber mood at St. Augustine pub

For many fans, Kings Head British Pub is headquarters for watching matches

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – England's 2-1 loss to Croatia in Wednesday's World Cup semifinal match set a somber mood at Kings Head British Pub in St. Augustine.

For many local soccer fans, the pub is headquarters for watching matches. But many of those fans were heartbroken after England was defeated.

It was one heck of a run -- that's how soccer fan Craig Bamberg described watching the England National Football Team advance all weekend -- until Wednesday.

"We would rather be having dinner here Sunday as opposed to breakfast here Saturday for third place," Bamberg said.

Many pulling for England to win the World Cup gathered at Kings Head British Pub, hoping for a final that would pit England against France, but still cheering England on as it made it to the semifinals.

"It has been slammed both of the games that we've had thus far," said Karah Froitzheim, a waitress and bartender at Kings Head British Pub. "We're expecting this weekend to be even busier, even though England won't be in it."

Two local sisters, whose mother is from England, looked at the loss from glass half-full perspective.

"(We're) half-American, half-British," Audrey and Clara said. "We feel really disappointed ... But at least we get another game."

For those who aren't big soccer fans, Bamberg helped put England's loss in perspective.

"If you're a Jags fan, think about football, we weren't supposed to go as far as we did last year. That's kind of the story for England here as well," Bamberg said.

One big difference between American and European football -- the World Cup comes around every four years. 

England will play Belgium in the third-place game on Saturday. 

The Croatia national football team -- which reached the World Cup final for the first time -- will play against France on Sunday for all the glory.