Mattia Zaccagni scored the equaliser deep into added time to cancel out Luka Modrić’s effort and send Italy through.
Mattia Zaccagni celebrates his goal for Italy
Italy edged out Croatia for second place as Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th-minute equaliser proved pivotal in their final UEFA EURO 2024 Group B match in Leipzig.
Key moments
5′: Donnarumma keeps out Sučić drive
21′: Retegui heads just wide
27′: Livaković tips over Bastoni header
54′: Modrić penalty saved by Donnarumma
55′: Modrić scores a minute later
61′: Bastoni heads over from close range
90+8: Zaccagni fires dramatic equaliser
Match in brief: Zaccagni denies Modrić the limelight
Alessandro Bastoni reacts after being denied by Dominik Livaković
Croatia enjoyed a near monopoly on possession in the formative stages, a spell that culminated in a rasping 25-metre Luka Sučić drive that was heading for the top corner before Gianluigi Donnarumma’s intervention. The Azzurri remained composed and grew into the contest – and their new 3-5-2 system – nearly taking the lead themselves when Riccardo Calafiori’s cross was nodded narrowly wide by Mateo Retegui.
They came closer still when Nicolò Barella’s cross was headed powerfully at goal by Alessandro Bastoni only for Dominik Livaković to make a stunning reflex save, and the goalkeeper also had to thwart Lorenzo Pellegrini as the Vatreni’s defence, which had shipped five goals in their opening two goals, came under strain.
“The main issue is that we have been conceding goals too easily,” Zlatko Dalić had noted before the game, but it was Croatia’s lack of threat which prompted the coach to introduce Ante Budimir up front at half-time. It appeared to have the desired effect as another half-time substitute, Davide Frattesi, handled Andrej Kramarić’s goalbound shot to concede a penalty, but Donnarumma dived low to his left to keep out Luka Modrić’s spot kick.
‘Best when it’s toughest’ is the Croatia slogan and Modrić’s response embodied that resilience and spirit as, within a minute, he turned home a rebound to give his side the lead after Donnarumma had initially parried Budimir’s effort. Dalić’s defence then seemed to have held back the tide until the dying seconds of the game, when Calafiori’s pass found Zaccagni and he bent his strike around Livaković to book the Azzurri a round of 16 date with Switzerland and leave Croatia hoping for a best third-place berth.
Luka Modrić fires in Croatia’s opening goal
Vivo Player of the Match: Luka Modrić (Croatia)
Became the oldest player to score a EURO goal and completed 14 passes in the final third in a superb all-round performance.
Elvir Islamović, Croatia reporter
If Dalić could choose a player to deliver a big moment against Italy and secure a spot in the knockout phase, it would undoubtedly be Modrić. Indeed, the captain of Croatia, the greatest player in their history, deserved his moment only for the late equaliser to deny him the spotlight.
Paolo Menicucci, Italy reporter
A late goal by Zaccagni allowed Italy to earn the point they needed against Croatia and qualify for the round of 16, where they will face Switzerland. The Azzurri played well in the first half and managed to react after conceding to one of the few chances Croatia had during the game. It was tough but deserved.
Reaction
Gianluigi Donnarumma keeps out Luka Modrić’s penalty
Key stats
- Modrić became oldest scorer in EURO finals history, at 38 years and 289 days.
- Croatia and Italy’s last four meetings have all finished 1-1.
- The Vatreni are unbeaten in the last nine matches between these nations (W3 D6).
- This was only the second time Croatia completed a EURO final tournament group without a win after the 2004 finals.
- Italy have qualified for the knockout rounds in each of the last five EUROs now. The last time they failed to make it out of the group stage was in 2004.
- The Azzurri have never lost two successive EURO final tournament matches and have not lost two successive major final tournament matches since the 2014 World Cup when they suffered back-to-back defeats against Costa Rica and Uruguay.
- Italy have finished outside of the top two in only two of their last ten EURO final tournament group stage appearances.
- Italy have not been losing at half-time in their last 14 EURO group games and have conceded only one goal across all those matches.
- Gianluigi Donnarumma became the youngest Italian player to reach 10 EURO finals appearances, aged 25 years and 120 days. Federico Chiesa became the second youngest at 26 years and 243 days. The previous record was set by Leonardo Bonucci (29 years and 57 days at EURO 2016). Donnarumma also became the youngest goalkeeper to hit this milestone in EURO history.
- Dalić took charge of Croatia for the eighth time in a EURO final tournament match, equalling the record of Slaven Bilić.
- This was Croatia’s fifth EURO meeting with the reigning champions, with each game coming in the group stages. They beat Denmark 3-0 in 1996, drew 2-2 with France in 2004, lost 1-0 against Spain in 2012 then beat La Roja 2-1 in 2016.
Line-ups
Croatia: Livaković; Stanišić, Šutalo, Pongračić, Gvardiol; Modrić (Majer 80), Brozović, Kovačić (Ivanušec 70); Sučić (Perišić 70), Kramarić (Juranović 90), Mario Pašalić (Budimir 46)
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Darmian (Zaccagni 81); Barella, Jorginho (Fagioli 81); Raspadori (Scamacca 75), Pellegrini (Frattesi 46), Dimarco (Chiesa 57); Retegui