The reign in Europe of the Italian National Team It remains in force thanks to a last-minute goal that rescued the papers of a team that flirted with elimination for several minutes.
The Azzurri had become the great disappointment of this tournament, but the great goal scored one minute from the end rescued them from the shadows and ended up eliminating a Croatia that had them against the wall.
Italy surprised with the initial approach. Spalletti left key men like Federico Chiesa on the bench, whom he had to bring into the game when he had the slab on him.
Italy did not know how to specify the goal options it had, it let Croatia grow and it once again became that uncomfortable, orderly and iron team that is capable of making things difficult for you. in any situation.
And to make the story more dramatic, the goal turned out to be a calamity that was resolved in less than two minutes.
Luca Modric was in charge of taking a penalty that was well saved by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who lay on his left side to drown out the Balkan team’s cry for a goal.
But in less than a minute his revenge arrived and the Real Madrid star and midfielder found a ball inside the area that he ordered to save to unleash the madness.
The miraculous goal that saved Italy from disaster
The goal scored by Modric seemed to have sealed the future of Italy, which with the goal against had been placed in third position in the group, waiting to know other results to find out if they would go home soon.
But the trade of Italy brought him afloat. Spalletti sent all his offensive force onto the field and thus he found the tying goal that radically changed history.
Mattia Zaccagni appeared on the left side and with a perfect finish, tied the match to catapult Italy to the round of 16 and decree the elimination of a Croatia that fell facing the sun.
Thus, Croatia will return home with a balance of one victory, one loss and a draw, while Italy will face Switzerland in the round of 16.
