In a thrilling encounter at the Leipzig Stadium, Italy edged past Croatia in a Group B clash that went down to the wire. The match saw a dramatic turn of events, with both teams vying for a place in the Round of 16.
Croatia took the lead in the 54th minute through a moment of brilliance from Luka Modric. Modric, already making history as the oldest scorer in European Championship history, converted a rebound after his initial penalty attempt was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
However, Italy refused to be denied. In the eighth minute of added time, Mattia Zaccagni emerged as the hero, finding the back of the net to equalize the score. This dramatic late goal propelled Italy into the Round of 16, while Croatia’s hopes of advancing were left hanging by a thread.
Despite the defeat, Modric’s achievement as the oldest goalscorer in the European Championships will be etched in history. He surpassed Poland’s Ivica Vastic at the age of 38 years and 289 days. The veteran midfielder had a memorable performance, but his efforts couldn’t secure Croatia’s progression.
With Italy’s victory, the group standings took a dramatic shift. Italy now sits in third place with two points, while Croatia’s fate hangs in the balance as they face elimination from the tournament.
