When the Euros 2024 groups were first announced, there was no second guessing as to which one would be labelled as the Group Of Death. It was group B all along. With European Heavyweights like the Semifinalists of the 2022 WC Croatia, current UEFA Nations League champions Spain, and the defending EUROS champions Italy, it was one hell of a group. Accompanying these big teams was Albania. But what was the group of death from the start didn’t seem to matter too much to one of the 4 teams. Spain just blew past their competition, convincingly beating all the other teams.
And from the remaining two teams, it was certain which 2 would be the ones fighting for the 2nd spot. Italy and Croatia. With both teams losing against Spain, and Croatia shooting themselves in the foot after letting Albania equalize in the 95th minute, the Italy vs Croatia match on June 25 was set up nicely. Italy, on 3 points after their win against Albania needed to draw/win to qualify. While Croatia needed to win at any cost to get into the Round of 16.
The match was exciting from minute one with both teams getting multiple chances throughout the game. But neither team scored until the 55th minute when Luka Modric turned in a loose ball from 3 yards out into the roof of the net. Croatia’s greatest ever had previously missed from the penalty spot but made up for it.
With the scoreline at 1-0, Croatia defended brilliantly with Italy being unable to convert in front of goal. Then, with 8 minutes added on, Italy’s villain in the last match due to his own goal, Calafiori, decided to become Italy’s hero against Croatia when he surged 20-25 metres through the midfield with the ball at his feet before finally releasing a pass for Matia Zaccagni who was free on the Left Wing.
Zaccagni’s “Del Piero-esque” strike
Back in 2006, Italy played Germany in the Euros semifinal and defeated the Germans 2-0 on the day. With both goals coming in Extra-Time and the second one being scored by Del Piero. The Italian legend received the ball on the left-hand side and curled it past Jens Lehmann to make it 2-0 to Italy on the night and advance to the Final. 18 years later, Matia Zaccagni, one of Alessandro Del Piero’s many admirers scored an eerily similar goal to the one Del Piero had scored to send Italy through to the Round of 16 in Euros 2024.
Receiving the ball wide on the left and with plenty of space around him to shoot, Zaccagni made the most of the opportunity and curled one into the top corner of Livakovic’s net. There was nothing the Croatian goalkeeper could do. Zaccagni’s strike meant that Italy equalized in the 98th minute of the game sending them through to the Round of 16 after making it out of the Group of Death alive.
