Italy secured an astonishing victory by scoring in the final minute of injᴜry time against Croatia.

Croatia, eager to regain control of the group, tested Gianluigi Donnarumma with a long-range shot in the 5th minute, forcing the Italian goalkeeper into a stretching save. Italy then dominated proceedings, creating numerous chances. Federico Dimarco’s cross narrowly missed Lorenzo Pellegrini’s header, while Mateo Retegui had three close-range shots blocked by Croatian defenders. Alessandro Bastoni also challenged Dominik Livakovic with a header from close range, but the Croatian keeper showcased excellent reflexes.

Croatia defended resiliently, with much of the first half belonging to the defending champions. Despite their efforts, both teams settled for a goalless draw at halftime with few clear-cut opportunities.

Early in the second half, Croatia had a promising chance but Luka Modric missed a penalty, only to redeem himself moments later by scoring from close range in the 55th minute. This put Croatia ahead 1-0, surpassing Italy in the group standings.

Italy, needing an equalizer, pressed forward but struggled to break through Croatia’s solid defense. Federico Chiesa was particularly ɑggressive in attɑck, but Italy found themselves increasingly desperate as time ticked away. Croatia, meanwhile, made substitutions to disrupt Italy’s rhythm and preserve their lead.

The match saw eight minutes of added time, during which Italy faced elimination. In a drɑmatic twist in the final minute, Riccardo Calafiori made a bold run and set up Mattia Zaccagni for a crucial goal attempt. Zaccagni’s powerful shot found the top corner of the net, equalizing the score 1-1 in the 98th minute and securing Italy’s place in the round of 16.

The late goal left Croatia devastated, as they dropped to third place in Group B with just two points, making it unlikely for them to advance further despite Modric’s standout performance. Italy finished second in the group with four points behind Spain.