Luka Modric became oldest goalscorer in Euro 2024 history with his 55th-minute strike
\nLeipzig
\nMattia Zaccagni\u2019s stunning last-minute goal secured Italy a place in the Euro 2024 knock-outs with a dramatic 1-1 draw against Croatia in a tense Group B clash on Monday.
\nThe 38-year-old player Luka Modric became the oldest goalscorer in the competition\u2019s history with his 55th-minute strike, moments after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved his penalty. With his goal, Modric broke the record set by Austrian Ivica Vastic in 2008.
\nModric\u2019s goal seemed to have secured Croatia\u2019s place in the next round, but Zaccagni\u2019s brilliant 98th-minute strike pushed Italy to second place behind Spain. Italy will face Switzerland in the last 16. Meantime, Croatia\u2019s fate hangs in the balance, depending on other results this week.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s very stressful,\u201d Modric said.
\n\u201cWe kept battling until the end but unfortunately, football was merciless with us tonight.\u201d
\nDespite Croatia\u2019s struggles, coach Zlatko Dalic decided to keep the trio of Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, and Mateo Kovacic in the match.
\nLuka Sucic forced a fine save from Donnarumma. Italy played defensively and saw a rare chance with Mateo Retegui\u2019s deflected header.
\nCroatia\u2019s goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic made a stunning save to deny Alessandro Bastoni. Dalic\u2019s strategic changes, including bringing on powerful striker Ante Budimir, paid off as Croatia looked more threatening in the second half.
\nItaly\u2019s Luciano Spalletti, shifting to a 3-5-2 formation, saw his team struggle against a dominant Croatia. But Zaccagni\u2019s late heroics shattered hopes of Croatian fans.
\nModric was named player of the match. Talking about his future he said, \u201cI\u2019ll keep playing on, I don\u2019t know for how much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Luka Modric became oldest goalscorer in Euro 2024 history with his 55th-minute strike Leipzig Mattia Zaccagni\u2019s stunning last-minute goal secured Italy a place in the Euro 2024 knock-outs with a dramatic 1-1 draw against Croatia in a tense Group B clash on Monday. The 38-year-old player Luka Modric became the oldest goalscorer in the competition\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-414609","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n