The reigning European Champions, Italy, have advanced to the round of 16 in the European Championship in Germany after equalising with the last kick of the match in the group stage finale against Croatia in Leipzig.
The 29-year-old Lazio striker and substitute Mattia Zaccagni scored the 1-1 goal in the 98th minute of the match.
Dramatic finish. A very, very tough match. The feeling is incredible, says Italy's Riccardo Calafiori to TV4.
The 22-year-old Bologna defender was the one who drove the ball into the box when Italy frantically chased an equaliser towards the end of the match. Calafiori played the ball out to the left and Zaccagni cleverly curled it in with his right foot behind a desperate Dominik Livakovic in the Croatian goal.
Croatia, the bronze medallists from the World Championship in Qatar a year and a half ago, are now eliminated from the European Championship since they are not one of the four best third-placed teams that advance to the round of 16 along with the two best teams in each group.
The Croatians, who have two points and a goal difference of minus three, need to rely on several results going their way if they are not to be eliminated from the European Championship. Groups C and D will be decided on Tuesday, and groups E and F on Wednesday.
Since the introduction of 24 participating teams in the men's European Championship (2016), no team with fewer than three points has advanced to the round of 16.
Slovenia, who face England on Tuesday, are currently advancing as the fourth and final third-placed team with two points and a goal difference of zero.
Face Switzerland
Croatia were only seconds away from securing a spot in the round of 16 in their match against Italy. After a goalless first half, Croatia were awarded a penalty at the start of the second half when Davide Frattesi got the ball on his hand in Italy's penalty area and the Croatians were awarded the penalty after a video review.
Captain Luka Modric stepped forward and took a low-driven penalty that Gianluigi Donnarumma saved at his left post. But just 32 seconds after the penalty miss, the 38-year-old Modric got his revenge when he scored 1-0 on the subsequent attack after Donnarumma had first saved a shot from Ante Budimir but let in a rebound that Modric scored.
Modric was then substituted and watched Italy's late equaliser from the sidelines. Next up for Italy is Switzerland in the round of 16 in Berlin on Saturday.
Albania Eliminated
In parallel with the top match in Leipzig, already-qualified group winners Spain took their third consecutive win in the European Championship in Düsseldorf.
Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match against Albania in the 13th minute after a precise pass from Dani Olmo.
With the 0-1 loss to Spain, who rested several players ahead of the round of 16, Albania finished fourth and last in the group and are eliminated from the European Championship.
Spain will play their round of 16 match in Cologne on Sunday, against the third-placed team in group A (Hungary), D, E, or F.
Corrected: In an earlier version, Croatia's value in the 2022 World Championship was incorrectly stated. The correct value is bronze. It was also incorrectly stated that Italy's Mattia Zaccagni is 22 years old. The correct age is 29.
