The heart of the champion: Italy, with seven souls, defeated the Croatians in the 90+8′ and passed to the last 16!

The heart of the European champion spoke in the finale!



With a fantastic goal by Xakani 30 seconds before the end of the match, the Italy treasure them Croatians (1-1)taking through their hands the 2nd place of the b group and direct qualification in the “16” of Euro 2024!

Thanks to historic goal by Luka Modric in the 55th minute, seconds after the 38-year-old captain of Hrvatska had missed a penalty, Croatia kept the victory and qualification until the 90+8′, knowing a heavy and painful final…

Now, Zlatko Dalic’s team finished in 3rd place in the group with 2 points and will be waiting on… hot coals for the outcome of the rest of the groups to find out if they will be one of the four best third teams who will get the ticket to the knockouts. However, the odds are not in her favor…

With this qualification, Italy already knows its opponent in the next phase of the competition. They will face Switzerland in a game on June 29.

In the coach’s mind:



THE Zlatko Dalic he lined up Croatia in a 4-3-3 system, with Livakovic under the posts and Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic and Guardiol in the back four. Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic were on the axis, with Sucic and Pasalic playing on the two “wings”, next to the forward, Kramaric.

On the other hand, Mr Luciano Spalletti sent down the “squadra atzura” with a 4-2-3-1 system. Donnarumma was in the goalposts, with Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori and Darmian in the back four. Barella and Jorginho started in the midfield positions, with Dimarco and Raspadori on the “wings” and Pellegrini in the role of ten, behind the only promoted Reteghi, who took a place in the starting formation instead of Skamakas.

The match:

Usa with the back to the… wall, h Croatian she was the one who entered the match stronger and more focused, having him absolute control of the pace in the first minutes of the match. It is characteristic that in the first 4 minutes, the Italians had touched the ball 2-3 times at most, and these to remove or cut off the actions of the opponents!

The first phase of the match came for Hrvatska with the long powerful shot by Sucic for Donnarumma to make it difficult in the corner. After their sluggish start, Italy slowly began to pick up the pace and keep the ball at their feet. In the 11th minute, they had their first moment with his weak header Pellegrinito be followed in the 21st minute by his very good header Retegi which resulted in a corner from Guardiol’s intervention. And all this, while the typical guests had just 31% ball possession in this first period of the match!

By Retegi quite active, the “squadran anjura” threatened twice more, in the 22nd minute with his shot 25-year-old forward to stop in bodies of defenders, while, in the 27th minute and after a period of time in the frames of Croatia, Bastoni all alone with a header at the far post defeated by amazing surgery by Livakovic!

A phase which seemed to “wake up” Zlatko Dalic’s team, as a result of which the game acquired enough intensity and a wild beauty. In the 31st minute, Modric’s shot was intercepted by Dimarco, while, five minutes later, the Pellegrini’s shot from the height of the box, the Croatia keeper firmly blocked. This was also the last phase of the first half, with both teams they go to the locker room without a score, as in the last ten minutes they were spent in many battles in the area of ​​the midfield.

With its start second 45 minutesthe two teams made a corrective move in their midfield, with Budimir taking the place of Pasalic and Fratezi that of Pellegrini, a sign of the mood of the two coaches to play more aggressively and look for the winning goal. As in the first part, so in the second, Croatia was the one who entered the match stronger, controlling the pace of the race. Having closed the Italians in their frames, it was not long before the big moment came for Hrvatska, who won a penalty in the 52nd minute after VAR intervention, in the hand of Fratezi on Kramaric’s shot. The execution was undertaken by Luka Modricwho was defeated in the 54th minute by amazing operation by Donnarumma!

However, seconds later came the “atonement” for the leader of Croatia, as well, after viewing Budimir and the new terrible save by the Italian keeper, the 38-year-old Real Madrid midfielder became the owner of the ball and with a close-range shot he opened the scoring in the 55th minute, bursting into tears and wild celebrations! Yes, yes

From that point on, Luciano Spalletti’s side closed in on Croatia, furiously chasing the equalizer that would have put them back in second place in the group and directly through to the last 16. Chiesa came on, with the Italians suffocating the opposition defence, having a great moment to make it 1-1 with Bastoni’s header in the 61st minute going narrowly over the bar. Despite the many corners and set-pieces, the “Ajuri” struggled to get a final, as either Livakovic or the Croatian defenders removed the danger.

In the 71st minute, Italy recorded another good moment, with the direct foul by Raspadori to find the wall and take a corner. Four minutes later, Spalletti threw him into the match Shackthus playing with a duo in the attack, in the company of Reteghi. A little later, he brought in both Jakani and Fazoli in the match, wanting to go all out for the tie.

In 87′the typical guests they “touched” the equalizer when after a “razor” cross by Chiesa in the “heart” of the area, the ball barely passed in front of Skamakas who was in front of an empty net. In the 2nd minute of stoppage time, his long shot Skamaka countered and ended up in a corner.

And while everything looked like Croatia would celebrate a huge victory, smartly killing time with steals and fouls, Calafiori came 30” before the final and with a terrific run, “smashed” to the left of Jakaniwho with a fantastic missed shot at 90+8′sent the ball to the opposite “gamma” for 1-1, with the Italians breaking out in wild celebrations!

The match lineups:



Croatia (Zlatko Dalic): Livakovic – Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Guardiol – Modric (80′ Mayer), Brozovic, Kovacic (70′ Ivanovic) – Sucic (70′ Perisic), Pasalic (46′ Budimir), Kramaric (90′ Juranovic)

Italy (Luciano Spalletti): Donnarumma – Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Darmian (81′ Xacani) – Barella, Jorginho (Fazoli) – Raspadori, Pellegrini (46′ Fratezzi), Dimarco (57′ Chiesa) – Reteghi.