Italy are drawing 1-1 with Croatia at half time in the behind-closed-doors Euro 2016 qualifying match in Split.

Croatia won a penalty within the opening six minutes when Darijo Srna was felled by Davide Astori, but Mario Mandzukic's spot kick was saved by Gianluigi Buffon.

Four minutes later, Stephan El Shaarawy thought he had opened the scoring for Italy, but his goal was ruled out for offside.

Croatia countered quickly from the free kick, and Ivan Rakitic's low cross found Mandzukic who bundled the ball into the back of the net from six yards.

Ivica Olic then nearly doubled the lead in the 18th minute, but his outstretched leg could not quite reach Ivan Perisic's low cross.

El Shaarawy should have scored on the half-hour mark when Graziano Pelle found him unmarked inside the area, but the AC Milan striker shot straight at Danijel Subasic.

The scores were levelled three minutes later though, as Mandzukic handballed inside the area and Antonia Candreva stepped up to coolly net with a panenka-style penalty kick.

Written by
Jonathan McIntosh