You can never write them off. That sentence applied to Croatia as the last of eight minutes of added time ticked down, a chequered cauldron of fans just about holding itself in before the eruption that would follow another victory for the history books. At that point it applied more than ever to Luka Modric, too. He had missed a penalty and then, with virtually the next action, atoned with one of the most thrilling moments of the summer. Forget one last dance: Leipzig was poised to rock until daylight.
Then it came to perfectly describe Italy. The holders were poised to sweat on the third-place shakedown, having hurled bodies into the opposition half without fashioning the kind of chance that would assuage their worries. Somebody needed to take the initiative and it was Riccardo Calafiori, the elegant centre-back from Bologna, who broke the lines and glided into a position Croatia simply did not anticipate. Their midfield was chasing him as he approached the penalty area; he passed left to an open Mattia Zaccagni. The substitute’s curled finish met the moment and Italy were somehow through.
Written by Nick Ames at Leipzig Stadium
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/jun/24/croatia-italy-euro-2024-match-report under the title “Mattia Zaccagni strikes at death to crush Croatia and send Italy through to last 16”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
