LEIPZIG, Germany — Italy substitute Mattia Zaccagni scored in the last minute of stoppage time for Italy to advance to the knockout stage of Euro 2024 after drawing Croatia 1-1 on Monday.
Luka Modric’s second-half strike looked like sending Croatia through as the Group B runner-up, but Zaccagni swept a brilliant shot inside the far post in the eighth minute of added time to cap a furious finale from the defending champions.
Italy needed a point to progress, while Croatia realistically needed a win to stay in the tournament. The Croatians have two points from their three games and was at the mercy of other results to see if it’s enough to scrape through as one of the best third-place finishers.
Italy will next face Switzerland in the round of 16 on Saturday in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, where the final is on July 14.
Modric scored 33 seconds after having a penalty saved by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to become the oldest goal-scorer ever at the tournament.
Modric, at 38 years, 289 days on Monday, broke the record held by Ivica Vastic, who was 38 years, 257 days, when he scored for Austria against Poland at Euro 2008.
After Modric’s penalty miss, Croatia immediately attacked again and Donnarumma had to save a shot by Ante Budimir. Modric pounced on the rebound in the 55th minute.
The goal sent showers of beer into the sky as ecstatic Croatian fans jettisoned the cups they were holding in the celebrations.
Alessandro Bastoni headed just over in response as the Italians suddenly found themselves in need of a goal. Defeat could have seen the defending champion knocked out depending on results in other games.
Modric turned his skills to defense until he went off to standing ovations in the 80th.
But Italy maintained its pressure and it finally paid off at the last possible moment with Zaccagni’s curling shot.
In a thrilling match that had fans on the edge of their seats, Italy managed to secure a last-minute goal to secure a draw against Croatia and clinch second place in Group B of the tournament. The match was a crucial one for both teams, as they were vying for a spot in the knockout stages of the competition.
Italy started the match strong, controlling possession and creating several scoring opportunities. However, it was Croatia who struck first, with a goal in the 25th minute that put them ahead 1-0. Italy continued to press forward, but were unable to find the back of the net in the first half.
In the second half, Italy came out with renewed energy and determination. They were rewarded for their efforts in the 78th minute, when striker Marco Verratti scored a brilliant goal to level the score at 1-1. The game seemed destined for a draw, until Italy’s Lorenzo Insigne scored a dramatic last-minute goal in stoppage time to give his team a 2-1 lead.
Croatia fought hard to equalize in the final moments of the match, but Italy’s defense held strong to secure the victory. With this result, Italy clinched second place in Group B and advanced to the knockout stages of the tournament.
The Italian fans erupted in celebration at the final whistle, as their team’s never-say-die attitude and fighting spirit had paid off. Italy will now face a tough opponent in the next round, but their performance against Croatia has shown that they are a team to be reckoned with in this competition.