Italy secured its spot in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 with a thrilling 98th-minute victory over Croatia, while Spain dominated Albania to finish atop Group B.
Italy's Euro 2024 campaign has received a major boost with a heart-stopping 1-0 victory over Croatia at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. The dramatic win in the dying seconds of the match propelled Italy to the Round of 16 as the group runner-up, securing a clash with Switzerland in the next phase.
The match was a testament to the resilience and determination of the Italian squad. Mattia Zaccagni's 97th-minute goal proved to be the decisive moment, etching his name into the history books with the latest goal scored by Italy—excluding extra time—at the Euros.
Italy Advances to Euros Round of 16 with Dramatic Win; Spain Tops Group on Clean Sheets
Italy's triumph marks their fifth consecutive advancement from the group stage in Euro tournaments, a testament to their consistent performance at this level. The victory was particularly notable as it came against a formidable Croatian side that had held them to a draw in their previous nine encounters.
Spain continued their impressive Euros campaign with a comfortable 1-0 victory over Albania, maintaining their unblemished clean sheet record in the tournament's group stage. The victory sees Spain progress to the Round of 16 as the group winner, where they will face one of the third-placed teams.
Spain's defense has been a cornerstone of their success in the Euros so far, with no goals conceded in any of their three group matches. This marks the first time in their history that they have kept clean sheets in all three group stage fixtures at the Euros.
The victory also extends Spain's unbeaten record when leading at halftime at the Euros to 11 wins and 3 draws. With a wealth of experience and talent at their disposal, Spain will be a force to be reckoned with in the knockout stage.
* Spain's victory against Albania marked their ninth consecutive win against the Balkan nation, maintaining their dominance in this fixture.
* Ferran Torres continues to impress for Spain, scoring his 20th goal for the national team in just 15 appearances. Spain has won all 15 matches in which Torres has found the net.
* Dani Olmo has become a pivotal playmaker for Spain, recording four assists in his seven Euros matches. Only Cesc Fabregas has more assists for Spain at the Euros.
* Croatia's third-place finish with two points leaves them in a precarious position. While not officially eliminated, no third-placed team has ever qualified with only two points in previous Euros tournaments.
* Luka Modrić made history by becoming the oldest goal-scorer ever at the Euros, adding another accolade to his illustrious career.
