Final Whistle: Croatia 1-1 Italy – Italy secure second place in Group B and are through to the R16
- Italy secure second place in Group B and are through to the knockout rounds
- Croatia are still technically in with a chance of advancing, but it’s unlikely
- Croatia need England to beat Slovenia by either 3-0 or by four or more goal margin
- They would also need either Denmark to be Serbia or for Serbia to beat Demark by 3-0
Match Review: Last-minute equaliser breaks Croatian hearts and sends Italy through
In a dramatic finish, Mattia Zaccagni scored in the final minute of stoppage time, allowing Italy to secure a late equaliser against Croatia and ensuring the defending champions‘ progression to the last 16 of Euro 2024.
Luka Modric initially seemed to have won the game for Croatia, scoring a powerful shot early in the second half after having a penalty saved. His goal appeared to be enough to send Croatia through as runners-up in Group B.
However, Italy’s Zaccagni curled home a shot in the 98th minute, levelling the score and sending Italy through alongside group winners Spain. This last-gasp equaliser was a heartbreaking blow for Croatia, leaving them with only two points, which is unlikely to be sufficient for them to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
The result means Italy will face Switzerland in the last 16 on Saturday, June 29. Croatia’s players collapsed to the ground at the final whistle, while their fans stood in stunned disbelief.
Croatia, the 2018 World Cup finalists, had struggled earlier in the tournament, losing to Spain and drawing with Albania. They entered the match against Italy as underdogs but started strong, putting Italy on the back foot. Despite their efforts, their struggles in the final third persisted until Modric’s moment of brilliance.
After Modric’s goal, Croatia managed the game well, but Zaccagni’s late equaliser shattered their hopes. The future for Croatia’s ageing stars, including Modric, now hangs in the balance.
Italy, who won Euro 2020, have not looked like defending champions in this tournament. They had to come from behind against Albania and were beaten by Spain. Manager Luciano Spalletti made changes for this game, but Italy again found themselves largely second best.
Despite this, Italy kept pushing until the end, knowing they would likely progress as one of the best third-placed teams. Their fans celebrated long after the final whistle, hoping this late goal would ignite their campaign at Euro 2024.
