In a highly-anticipated Group B match of the Euro 2024, defending champions Italy faced off against Croatia. Despite Italy's impressive performance in their first match, they found themselves trailing 0-1 against Croatia. While it was a must-win game for Italy to secure their spot in the knockout stage, Croatia was also looking for a win after starting their campaign with a loss and a draw. Follow all the action and live updates from the match here.
Italy, Croatia Clash in Crucial Euro 2024 Group B Match
Background
Italy and Croatia have a long and storied football rivalry, with their most recent meeting coming in the Euro 2020 Round of 16, which Italy won 2-1. Both teams have a rich football history, with Italy winning the World Cup four times and Croatia reaching the final in 2018.
Italy are the defending Euro champions, having won the title in 2021, while Croatia are seeking to replicate their success from 2018, when they made a surprise run to the final before losing to France.
Match Preview
Italy started their Euro 2024 campaign with a 3-0 win over Turkey, while Croatia drew 1-1 with Austria and lost 2-1 to England. As a result, Italy entered the match against Croatia knowing that a win would secure their place in the knockout stage, while Croatia needed a win to keep their hopes alive.
Match Highlights
The match was a closely-fought affair, with both teams creating chances to score. Croatia took the lead in the 25th minute when Luka Modric's cross was met by a diving header from Andrej Kramarić. Italy pressed for an equalizer, but they were unable to find a way past the Croatia defense.
In the second half, Italy continued to pressure Croatia, but the Croatian defense held firm. As the match entered the final minutes, Italy pushed for a goal, but they were unable to break down Croatia's resistance.
Final Score: Croatia 1-0 Italy
Croatia's win dealt a blow to Italy's hopes of defending their Euro title, while it kept Croatia's hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
Top 5 FAQs
Q1: Who scored the goal for Croatia? A1: Andrej Kramarić scored the goal for Croatia in the 25th minute.
Q2: What was the starting lineup for Italy? A2: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Acerbi, Spinazzola; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne
Q3: What was the starting lineup for Croatia? A3: Livaković; Juranović, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modrić, Kovačić, Brozović; Perišić, Kramarić, Livaja
Q4: What was the final score of the match? A4: Croatia 1-0 Italy
Q5: What are the implications of the result for both teams? A5: Italy's loss leaves them in danger of missing out on the knockout stage, while Croatia's win keeps their hopes alive.
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