Italy snatch last-gasp draw against Croatia to reach Euro 2024 knockout stages
Croatia's hopes of reaching the Euro 2024 knockout stages were dashed in dramatic fashion as Mattia Zaccagni's 98th-minute equaliser secured a 1-1 draw for Italy in their final Group A match.
The result means that Italy progress to the last 16 as runners-up in the group, while Croatia are eliminated.
Zaccagni's goal was a cruel blow for Croatia, who had fought back from a goal down to take the lead through Luka Modric in the second half. However, the Italians refused to give up and they were rewarded for their persistence in the dying seconds of the match.
The draw means that Italy will face the runners-up from Group B in the last 16, while Croatia will head home after a disappointing tournament.
In a match that was played in front of a sell-out crowd at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy made a bright start and they took the lead in the 17th minute through a superb goal from Federico Chiesa.
However, Croatia responded well to going behind and they equalised in the 32nd minute through Modric, who curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner of the net.
The second half was a more even affair, with both teams creating chances to win the match. However, it was Italy who had the last laugh as Zaccagni popped up in the dying seconds to score the winning goal.
The result will be a major disappointment for Croatia, who were hoping to reach the knockout stages for the second time in a row. However, they can take heart from the fact that they played well in defeat and they will be hoping to bounce back in the future.
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