Croatia – Italy 1-1 / Xacani’s buzzer beater puts Italy in the round of 16 – See the goals

A buzzer beater by Matias Dzakani, in the 8th and last minute of stoppage time, saved the European champions Italy from the agony and sent them to the “16” of EURO 2024. Croatia in Leipzig gave them the second place in the 2nd group and the qualification for the knockouts, where they will face Switzerland on Saturday (29/6).

Luka Modric had opened the scoring in the 55th minute, a minute after he had been beaten by Donnarumma in a penalty shootout, he became the oldest scorer in a EURO final phase, but he saw from the bench that his team conceded the goal in the final, which leaves them third with two points (with a goal ratio of -3) and -essentially- out of continuity, with him saying goodbye -probably- to the representative group of his country.

Zlatko Dalic’s team was the one “burning” for victory and threatened at the start of the match (5′), with Susic’s very strong shot that Donnarumma pushed away with overpowering intensity. The “Azzurri” slowly balanced the game and… equalized the chances in the 21st minute, with Reteghi’s header going past the goal post, after finding Guardiol a little too. But the big moment for Italy came in the 27th minute, when Livakovic made a fantastic save on the nailed header of the unmarked Bastoni, keeping his team “alive” in the hunt for qualification.

The two minutes 54′-55′ hid emotions that one can rarely experience. Makeli, after reviewing the video, awarded a penalty in favor of Croatia for a – very visible – hand by newcomer Fratezi on a shot by Kramaric. The experienced Luka Modric took over but Donnarumma got to his left corner and saved. The phase continued with the “Croatians” persisting, Donnarumma made another improbable intervention at Budimir’s close range, but the Italian defenders simply… watched Modric, who reached the ball first and sent it into the net from close range, for to redeem himself for the missed penalty and become the oldest scorer in a EURO final phase (38 years and 289 days).

The goal completely changed the shape of the match, with the Croatians going back in droves and the “squadra azzura” taking the game around Livakovic’s area. Despite Spalletti’s changes, however, the Italians seemed without… ideas and it took until the 87th minute to threaten, with Skamakas not finding the ball in the small area, in the parallel turn of Chiesa.

It all looked decided, with Croatia handling the eight minutes of stoppage time brilliantly. Sometimes, however, what time does not bring, the moment brings. Calafiori’s inspiration… desperation to try a vertical rush caught the opposition defense by surprise. The central defender of Bologna opened at the right moment on the left for Xacani and the latter, with a perfect deflected shot, beat Livakovic and sent Italy to the last 16.

Referee: Danny Makeli (Netherlands)

Yellows: Susic, Modric, Ivanovic, Pongracic, Stanisic, Brozovic – Calafiori, Fazioli

The compositions:

CROATIA (Zlatko Dalic): Livakovic, Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Guardiol, Kovacic (70′ Ivanovic), Brozovic, Modric (80′ Majer), Susic (70′ Perisic), Kramaric (89′ Juranovic), Pasalic (46′ Budimir)

ITALY (Luciano Spalletti): Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, Bastoni, Darmian (81′ Tzagani), Jorginho (81′ Fazioli), Barella, Raspadori (75′ Scamaka), Pellegrini (46′ Fratezi), Dimarco (57′ Chiesa) ), Retegi