‘I had no idea that was the last kick’

Mattia Zaccagni says he was not aware it was the final moment of the match after scoring 98th-min equaliser against Croatia to take Italy into the last 16

Italy might be in the knockout stage of Euro 2024 but all is far from rosy in the defending champions’ camp after Mattia Zaccagni’s last-gasp goal against Croatia guaranteed them a Last 16 berth. 

Luciano Spalletti’s team will face Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday, giving them four days to reflect on their unconvincing efforts in Group B, where they finished second and five points behind Spain. 

Italy’s Mattia Zaccagni scores the equaliser against Croatia in Leipzig, Germany, on Monday

Italy once again failed to live up to the standard of play expected by Spalletti, an attack-minded coach who bemoaned his team’s inability to retain possession and create goal scoring opportunities. 

The joyous scenes that followed Zaccagni’s leveller in Monday night’s thrilling 1-1 draw with Croatia didn’t mask the evident issues with new-look Italy who were also taught a footballing lesson by Spain. “I had no idea that it was the last kick of the game when the ball came to me,” said a delighted Zaccagni to Sky Sport after the game. 

“Calafiori gave me such a brilliant ball for a first-time shot that I didn’t even think twice about it. Then we went mad and I got battered with them all on top of me!” Lazio forward Zaccagni ended up under a pile of blue-shirted bodies as wild celebrations in the stands and on the pitch followed his brilliant leveller in the eighth and final minute of added time in Leipzig. With basically no time left on the clock Zaccagni was the coolest head in the stadium as he approached Riccardo Calafiori’s perfectly-weighted pass and curled home a stunning finish. The 29-year-old’s first international goal came at the end of a hugely entertaining match which looked to have been decided by Luka Modric’s 55th minute strike, scored just seconds after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved his penalty.

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