Croatia managed to keep their quarter-final hopes alive after a second-half strike from Mario Mandzukic secured a point against Italy today.
The Group C sides went head to head at the Municipal Stadium in Poznan this afternoon with two points separating them in the table.
While Croatia will learn their fate in their final group clash against Spain next week, Italy are likely to need a result against the Republic of Ireland in order to stay in contention for a quarter-final spot.
Sports Mole takes a look back at the 90 minutes between Italy and Croatia.
Italy statistics:
Shots: 15
On target: 7
Possession: 49%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 12
Croatia statistics:
Shots: 9
On target: 6
Possession: 51%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 20
Was the result fair?
Looking back at the full 90 minutes, I would say yes. While Italy dominated the fixture in the first half, Croatia manager Slaven Bilic managed to switch up his tactics at half time, which proved successful for the Croats, who deserved a point from the contest.
Italy's performance
The Azzurri controlled the opening exchanges during the second-round meeting with notable possession in midfield as well as the ability to hold firm in defence. The second half, however, was not quite straightforward for the Italians. Mario Balotelli went missing in the second 45 minutes, which prompted the inclusion of Antonio Di Natale and Andrea Pirlo's initial magic from the first half fizzled out after the break.
Croatia's performance
Croatia came into their own in the second half as Luka Modric was given the freedom to push up the pitch and provide vital service to Nikica Jelavic and Mario Mandzukic, who grabbed the equaliser for the Croats. The first half performance was rather lacklustre considering that they could have qualified to the quarter-finals with a victory, but they always remained a threat up front.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Mario Mandzukic: While Pirlo was the main contender for man of the match due to his opening goal and impressive performance in the first half, it was the Croatian forward who snatched the accolade after coming up with the equalising strike. Despite Italy's dominance in the first 45 minutes, Mandzukic refused to give up and ensured that he was in the right place at the right time.
Referee performance
Premier League official Howard Webb had a relatively easy game to contend with. However, there were a few choice decisions that raised eyebrows but not enough to cause damage to either side. Webb's biggest problem was the emergence of flares on the field from the crowd, which created poor visibility on the pitch and required time for the smoke to clear.
Biggest gaffe of the game
This would have to be Pirlo's wasted chance at finding a winning goal in the dying minutes of the match. The playmaker was yards away from Croatia's net and had enough space to get a clear shot on goal, but the 33-year-old spent too much time on the ball and was dispossessed easily.
What next?
Italy: Well, the Azzurri's chances of reaching the quarter-finals have dwindled slightly after failing to win both of their group matches so far. With Spain expected to get a victory over the Republic of Ireland, you would think that Italy will need three points from the Boys in Green in order to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Croatia: Croatia are still in contention to clinch a quarter-final spot but a win over Italy would have confirmed their space in the next stage of the tournament. Their final group clash with Spain will be a tough one for Bilic's side but the Croats do have a good chance of progressing.
