One final assault. With Italy trailing eight minutes into stoppage time, Riccardo Calafiori got here out of defence and smashed the ball proper by way of the Croatian defence.
As he approached the penalty space, all of the gamers in checkered shirts rallied in direction of him and Calafiori performed a move to his left, the place Mattia Zacagni was on their own.
Croatia had 10 gamers captured on digital camera however none close to the Lazio winger, who didn’t come onto the pitch till the 81st minute when Luciano Spalletti started passing the ball to all of the forwards who had been on the bench.
Zacagni took benefit of the chance, capturing first time together with his proper foot, curling a shot past the dive of Dominik Livakovic with loads of curl. Everybody in Leipzig's Purple Bull Enviornment watched with bated breath.
Even the incessant throbbing noise of Croatia's followers gave the impression to be silenced because the ball flew by way of the air. Then the ball hit the web, levelling the rating at 1-1 and energising the Italian squad. They’ve a brand new hero as they journey to Berlin to face Switzerland within the final 16. One level was sufficient to safe runners-up spot behind Spain in Group B.
Mattia Zaccagni scores a surprising equaliser to seal Italy's place within the last-16 of Euro 2024
The Lazio winger stored his composure within the last moments and positioned the ball within the prime nook
After Italy made it to the knockout spherical, unusual scenes had been seen on the Leipzig stadium
Luka Modric had given Croatia the lead on the evening with a header from very shut vary.
“For all the pieces we did, we deserved to undergo,” boss Spalletti instructed Italian reporters after the match in an emotional interview. “Sure, we had been a bit gentle at occasions, we didn't play our greatest soccer, however going by way of was absolutely deserved and justified.
'And it's tough to get out of this group since you instructed me it was the 'Group of Loss of life'. I didn't say that. There are prime groups, Spain are improbable and Croatia are nice. We have now acquired a end result that was very difficult and what they’ve achieved is unbelievable.
'The gamers who got here off the bench are legends. They stored the sport balanced, they did all the pieces in an effective way. They stored that rhythm going whereas we had been extraordinarily aggressive with six offensive gamers on the sphere.'
Croatian hearts had been damaged. The ultimate whistle blew simply after Zaccagni's purpose. 'Merciless, soccer may be ruthless,' stated Luka Modric, who had given his facet the lead throughout an unbelievable three-minute spell early within the second half.
It began with a penalty for handball in opposition to Davide Frateci, who had solely been on the pitch for a couple of minutes.
Frateci had his again turned as Andrej Kramarić shot in direction of purpose and the shot struck his arm. Referee Danny Makkelie didn’t discover it, however a VAR intervention and a swap to the pitchside monitor modified all the pieces.
Modric positioned the ball on the spot and confronted Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was the hero of the match as Italy gained it on penalties in 2021.
Donnarumma saved once more, all the way down to his left, however it wasn't the top of it. Croatia stored up the strain and delivered a cross from the best. Donnarumma arguably made a greater save to cease Ante Budimir from shut vary.
Croatia thought that they had gained after Modric's purpose, however had been later disillusioned.
Simply 32 seconds earlier than Modric's purpose, the Croatian noticed his penalty kick saved
However Modric turned in a ferocious rebound and, in entrance of a raucous part of Croatian supporters, launched the ball excessive into the web from six yards. Then there was chaos.
With the thunder of drums, explosions, flares and clouds of smoke, it usually felt just like the match was 600 miles away in Zagreb, however Italy modified their recreation barely and performed with a again three and had the higher of the primary half.
The most effective begin got here from Alessandro Bastoni who was unmarked when Nicolo Barella picked up the ball.
The Inter Milan centre-half appeared destined to attain as he sprinted ahead with a header that went straight over Dominik Livakovic, who reacted beautifully and headed the ball away. Barella buried his face within the floor in disbelief. Bastoni applauded the goalkeeper.
Livakovic made one other excellent save from Lorenzo Pellegrini on the left flank simply earlier than half-time. Croatia confirmed extra braveness within the second half, sending on Budimir and releasing Josko Guardiol from left again to launch a robust assault.
The VAR penalty, the Modric purpose and all of the drama that adopted mirrored the strain. Out of the blue it was a unique recreation.
Italy confirmed renewed urgency and counter-attacked as Croatia's defence swelled. “Eight minutes of additional time is nonsense,” stated Dalic, who changed Modric 10 minutes from time and left the sphere to a standing ovation and chants of “Luka, Luka!”
We could by no means see the little maestro at a serious match once more, but when this was his final recreation he’ll take one file with him – the oldest purpose scorer on the Euros, at 38 years and 289 days.
After being launched into the match instead, Modric needed to watch the match see Croatia let their lead slip away.
Bastoni headed the ball ahead with a header from a nook. Crosses got here from each side, however the gamers in blue shirts dodged them. Defenders threw themselves into the road of fireplace to dam photographs, however Croatia had been as prone to rating a second purpose on the break as they had been to concede.
This was adopted by Calafiori's run and shut move and Zacagni's purpose.
“It was very irritating,” Modric stated. “Soccer makes you smile however it might probably additionally make you unhappy. Whenever you lose like that it's laborious to explain how you’re feeling.”
'Possibly it's unfair. We fought for Croatia from the primary whistle to the final and that is the end result. We ought to be pleased with the way in which we represented our nation.'
Though Croatia should not formally eradicated from the competitors, they aren’t anticipated to be one of many groups to qualify as among the finest third-placed groups of the match.
