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Chloe Digby·24 June 2024
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Chloe Digby·24 June 2024
Group B reached its conclusion this evening, with Spain already confirmed in top spot before the games kicked off.
Here's what happened.
Scorers: Modrić 55'; Zaccagni 90+8'
Italy broke Croatian hearts with a goal in the very last minute of stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw and leapfrog them into second place in the group.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was called into action early on, the 25-year-old stopper saving brilliantly well from a superb outside of the box shot Luka Sučić hit right into the corner.
Italy really should've taken the lead when Alessandro Bastoni headed straight at Dominik Livaković from point blank range, with the inch-perfect cross supplied by Nicolò Barella.
Just after half time, a crazy couple of minutes began when Croatia were awarded a penalty for a handball by Davide Frattesi. Luka Modrić was denied by a superb save by Gianluigi Donnarumma. Almost immediately afterwards, the PSG 'keeper saved really well again from Ante Budimir only for Modrić to make no mistake with the rebound.
With Italy now staring down a third place finish, Bastoni once again found himself in a great position to score with a header, but again it went over the bar.
This was a poor performance from the Azzurri, and a ball across the box that was missed by striker Gianluca Scamacca had boss Luciano Spalletti with his head in his hands.
And just when Croatia were heading through in second place, Italy scored with almost the last kick of the game during the final minute of stoppage time thanks to a sublime curling finish from Mattia Zaccagni.
Scorers: Torres 13'
Spain made ten changes before kick-off, but still finished with a perfect record in the group stages to put Albania out.
Yet it wasn't long before La Roja found their feet and Ferrran Torres delivered from a defence-splitting Dani Olmo pass with an accurate finish off the post.
Although Spain were the dominant side, they were nearly left with red faces when goalkeeper David Raya smashed a clearance against defender Aymeric Laporte. Luckily for him, the second-choice 'keeper was able to catch the rebound.
Into the second half and Spain almost immediately doubled their lead when Joselu got in front of his defender in the box, managed to hook his leg around the ball and fired just wide of the post.
Albania weren't willing to be written off, and Armando Broja tested Raya after a brilliant run and shot from a tight angle.
La Roja have won their opening three matches of a European Championship for the first time since 2008, when they won the entire tournament.