Italy have joined Spain as runner-up in group B of the 2024 European Championship after almost exiting the tournament. Substitute Mattia Zaccagni scored in the last minute of stoppage time which enabled Italy to progress to the knockout stage of Euro 2024 after drawing Croatia 1-1.
Azzurri were on the verge of losing two consecutive games in the tournament only for the goal to be scored in the crucial final minutes.
Luka Modric had put Croatia ahead seconds after seeing a penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Meanwhile, group winners Spain beat Albania 1-0 to maintain their hundred percent record in the tournament, all thanks to Ferran Torres’s strike.
If Croatia had held onto their lead, they would have been the runners-up, while Italy would wait to see how other games pan out and see if they would be selected among the best losers.
Modric had thought he had won it for his side to send them through as runners-up in Group B when he slammed a shot into the roof of the net early in the second half, but Italy broke Croatia’s heart with a last gap strike.
The skipper got the goal after he had seen a penalty saved. The swift response to that setback looked like it would be enough for the Croatians, but Italy leveled in stoppage time when Zaccagni curled home in the 98th minute to ensure they went through with group winners Spain.
As things stand now, Croatia, which was minutes away from progressing, has two points, which is unlikely enough to finish as one of the best third-place teams.
Italy have booked a date with Switzerland in the last 16 on Saturday, June 29.
The 2018 World Cup finalists will be kicking their wounds, having been far from their best in the first two games of this tournament. They suffered a comprehensive loss against Spain and then drew with Albania.
This made them tagged the underdog going into the clash, a label they often relish, and they indeed appeared to thrive off it with their start to this game.
They had Italy firmly on the back foot but struggled in the match. Their lack of clinical finish in the final third became their undoing.
The 38-year-old recovered seconds after seeing his penalty following a handball saved to drive a shot into the net’s roof, sending Croatian fans wild.
Although they managed the game superbly, Italy returned to level terms with almost the last kick. Zaccagni saw space for the shot and scored to devastate the Croatian fans while their fans went wild.
