As the clock ticks down to the final match of Group B in the EURO 2024 tournament, Croatia finds themselves in a race against time to keep their hopes alive. After losing 3-0 to Spain and trailing Albania 1-0 in their second game, Croatia appeared to be heading home early. However, two goals in two minutes saved their tournament hopes, only for Albania to equalize in the 95th minute.
Now, Croatia must secure three points against Italy on Monday at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig at 3 pm ET to advance. The match will be broadcast on Fox Sports in the USA, and both teams have no concerns regarding player availability for the crucial game.
Italy, while not at their best, managed to beat Albania 2-1 in their first game but suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain. Facing a potentially vulnerable Croatia side, Italy must deliver a dominant performance to boost their confidence and belief in their abilities. Winger Federico Dimarco is an injury doubt for the match after sustaining a calf injury, which may weaken Italy’s attacking options.
In the upcoming match, Croatia is likely to struggle to create scoring opportunities against Italy’s strong defense unless they can inject more energy and creativity into their midfield. With Italy as reigning champions of Europe, it won’t be easy for Croatia to pull off an upset win. However, with everything on the line and nothing left to lose, they will give it everything they’ve got on Monday night.
