Football News: Italy Stuns Croatia in Euro 2024 Qualifier, Modric Shines Despite Defeat
In a dramatic turn of events, Italy’s Mattia Zaccagni scored a late goal to secure a crucial victory over Croatia in their Euro 2024 qualifying match. The match, which took place on June 16th, saw Croatia’s veteran midfielder Luka Modric become the oldest scorer at a European Championship.
Croatia’s Frustration with Stoppage Time
Croatia’s head coach, Zlatko Dalic, expressed his frustration with the decision to add eight minutes of stoppage time, which ultimately proved pivotal in the outcome. “We are a small country,” he said. “No one gave us so much thought but you can’t have eight minutes, it is a nonsense.”
Modric’s Coy Response to Future
Modric, who has signed a new one-year deal with Real Madrid, acknowledged the pain of the defeat, stating, “It’s very stressful. We kept battling right to the end but unfortunately football is merciless. Tonight it’s cruel.” Despite the heartbreak, Modric remained coy about his future with the Croatian national team, saying, “I’ll keep playing on, I don’t know how much longer.”
Italy’s Manager Defends His Team’s Performance
Meanwhile, Italy’s manager, Luciano Spalletti, defended his team’s performance, stating, “We deserve to go through tonight, we deserve it in terms of what we produced out there.” He also hit back at criticism of his side, saying, “Don’t take the piss out of us because we lost a game [against Spain]. There is venom coming from all sides, and I inject the venom inside me myself if it doesn’t, because I need to be at the level and I react.”
The result leaves Croatia’s hopes of reaching the Euro 2024 last 16 in jeopardy, as they now face an uphill battle to secure a spot in the knockout stages.
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