When embarrassment beckoned, Italy spent the last few years veering between ignominy and glory. A glorious goal instead lent salvation. For the 43 minutes when they trailed, of expulsion at the first stage, the holders confronted the possibility of an early exit.
Instead, almost certainly, Croatia will be cast out of Euro 2024. The team which can excel over 120 minutes and penalties missed a penalty and went out to a 98th-minute goal. On a night when it was shaping up as another classic night in the career of an all-time great, Luka Modric was instead upstaged by a newcomer to such occasions.
By the time Mattia Zaccagni came on, he had never scored for Italy. And when he finally did, it was magnificent, the Lazio winger curling a shot around Dominik Livakovic.
Italy’s reward for such a lovely leveller is a match-up with Switzerland in Berlin and a reasonable route to the quarterfinals. Croatia must wait to see if they will rank among the four third-best teams, but probably not.
They can rue two injury-time goals against them, by Klaus Gjasula for Albania and still later Zaccagni for Italy, as six points became two. The final blow was the cruellest, probably the most decisive. An extraordinary evening had an incredible end.
For Modric, it was 33 seconds of madness—extremes of emotions, missing a penalty, then getting a goal. He was substituted to a standing ovation; he seemed the match-winner who had to watch in all likelihood his tournament end. What had been redemption, a rescue act, wasn’t enough. A wild night had a wonderful end for the Azzurri.
Italy, the Euro 2020 winners and the team who failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, continue the defence of their title; not convincingly, but euphorically. They still have not beaten Croatia, yet a status as their bogey side may need re-examining after this. It was Zlatko Dalic’s team who were left feeling heartbroken, the experts in escapology experiencing how they have made others feel with their litany of comebacks.
To Luciano Spalletti, it was a game of two substitutions: first sending on Davide Frattesi, whose arrival misfired, and then Zaccagni, the unheralded saviour. When Andrej Kramaric’s shot hit the outstretched arm of Frattesi, referee Danny Makkelie was sent to the monitor and pointed to the spot. Bruno Petkovic had missed for Croatia from 12 yards in their defeat to Spain. Donnarumma had won Italy Euro 2020 in a penalty shootout. And when Modric sidefooted his spot kick to the goalkeeper’s left, a giant dived and parried.
Yet the response was still more remarkable. Donnarumma performed more heroics by parrying Budimir’s shot but first to the rebound, lifting his effort into the roof of the net, was Modric. That was reward for Zlatko Dalic, who had brought on the penalty-box presence of Budimir at the break, after initially doubling down on a theory and starting with the passer Mario Pasalic in the front three. Yet this was the kind of goal from Modric that spoke more of his willpower than the technical talents that have propelled him to six Champions League titles. He looked more like predatory striker than stylish passer.
When he struck, Leipzig could have been Zagreb. There were flares going off, drinks thrown everywhere. It was bedlam. For Italy, this had the feel of an away game in the Balkans. Croatia’s population is famously small, less than four million, but the sense is many of them have decamped to Germany.
First, they produced a solid performance but with little in the way of celebration. Sucic’s long-range effort was tipped over the top by Donnarumma.
The better chances before the break fell to Italy, as Spalletti’s switch to a back three brought a sense of solidity. They looked to use their aerial ability, sensing a Croatian frailty against crosses. Brought in for Gianluca Scamacca, Mateo Retegui headed wide. Alessandro Bastoni came closer, drawing an acrobatic save from Livakovic when found by Nicolo Barella.
He threatened an equaliser, too, with a headed ball over. Italy had made a watchful start, with Spalletti’s new-look defence indicating they could well play for a 0-0. He ended up throwing on three forwards and Scamacca almost connected with Federico Chiesa’s cross. Croatia had started to look comfortable, Italy ragged.
Then came Zaccagni’s wonder strike. And Italy, the side who had lost World Cup play-offs in 2017 and 2022, had passed their test of nerve spectacularly, brilliantly, perhaps luckily. Probably Donnarumma, hero of those Euros 2020, will point to other saves which made a difference.
It is Croatia who are left in purgatory, rather than Italy. They have to wait for Denmark and Slovenia, Czech Republic and Turkey, hoping for favours. But Italy may have achieved what long seemed impossible in tournament football. They might have killed off the Croatians.