Italy Snatch Late Draw Against Croatia
Zaccagni's Last-Gasp Goal Prevents Croatian Victory
Italy managed to salvage a 1-1 draw against Croatia in their final Group B match of the UEFA European Championship thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer from Mattia Zaccagni.
The match looked set to end in a Croatian victory after Nikola Vlasic opened the scoring in the 12th minute. However, Italy refused to give up and pressed for an equalizer throughout the second half. They were rewarded for their persistence when Zaccagni pounced on a loose ball in the final minute of stoppage time and fired home from close range.
The draw means that Italy finish top of Group B with 7 points, while Croatia finish second with 4 points. Both teams advance to the knockout stages of the tournament.
For Italy, the draw will be a huge relief after they lost their opening game of the tournament to Spain. They showed great character to come back from a goal down and secure a point that could prove crucial in their quest to defend their European Championship title.
For Croatia, the draw will be a disappointment, but they can take solace in the fact that they have qualified for the knockout stages. They will now face the winner of Group A in the round of 16.
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