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Last-minute heartbreak for Croatia against Italy at Euro

Luka Modric croatiaa italy

Luka Modrić

Croatia has suffered one its most heart-breaking draws in its history when Italy equalised with the last kick of the game to send Croatia on the verge of going home. 

Luka Modrić became the oldest player in Euro history when he gave Croatia the lead in the 55th minute, but in the 8th minute of injury time Mattia Zaccagni would level to break Croatian hearts. 

Croatia has finished third in the group behind Spain and Italy with 2 points and needs a miracle to advance into the knock-out phase. 

Coach Zlatko Dalić made four changes from the side which started against Albania, giving starts to Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić, Mario Pašalić, and Luka Sučić.

It would be Sučić who would have the first chance of the match when he would let fly with his dangerous left foot from 25 metres out only to be denied by Donnarumma in the Italy goal.

Croatia would enjoy much of the possession in the opening stages but they would rarely pose any real threat for the Italian defence.

Once again the slow build up of play and the absence of some real pace made Croatia look one-dimensional on attack.

Italy were happy to sit back and wait for their chance to counter and they would have two great chances themselves to open the scoring.

Their best chance came in the 27th minute when Barella was left unmarked just yards out but his header was brilliantly saved by Dominik Livaković.

Dalić made one substitution at halftime, brining on striker Ante Budimir for Pašalić.

In the 53rd minute Croatia would be awarded a penalty when Frattesi was ruled to have handled the ball.

Captain Modrić stepped up but his spot kick would be saved by Donnarumma.

A minute later Modrić would make up for his miss when he would be first to a loose ball after Donnarumma made a save from Budimir and he would drill it into the back of the net from close range to make it 1-0.

With the goal, Modrić became the oldest goalscorer in Euro history. 

The goal would bring the match to life as Italy chased an equaliser and would start causing some problems from the Croatian defence. Dalić reacted, bringing on Ivan Perišić and Luka Ivanušec, but it would be all Italy as Croatia seemed to sit back. 

Modrić would come off with ten minutes remaining as Dalić looked to fresh legs to hold onto the result.

There were some heart-stopping moments and in the 98th minute came the devastating blow for Croatia and the large contingent of fans when Zaccagni curled a shot in from the edge of the box. 

Croatia will now wait for results from Group C and Group F to see whether or not they can qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. 

These are the results that need to happen.

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