Euro 2012: Mandzukic strike help Croatia draw 1-1 with Italy
June 15th, 2012 - 1:19 am ICT by IANSPoznan, June 14 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A Mario Mandzukic equaliser 18 minutes from time gave Croatia a 1-1 draw against Italy in their Euro 2012 group stage game here Thursday.
With four points from two games, Croatia have a strong chance of reaching the quarterfinals, while Italy must beat Ireland Monday to avoid an embarrassing early exit.
Italy missed several chances in the early stages before Andrea Pirlo put his team ahead six minutes before the break with a curling free-kick.
Mario Mandzukic equalised in the 72nd minute with his third goal of the tournament, lashing the ball into the from Ivan Strinic’s cross.
Mandzukic was stretchered off with an ankle injury in stoppage time, and may be an injury doubt for Croatia’s final game against Spain.
Spain play Ireland in the second game Thursday.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Tags: andrea pirlo, ankle injury, curling, early exit, euro 2012, final game, four points, free kick, group stage, ivan, june 14, poznan, quarterfinals, ria novosti, second game, six minutes, stage game, stoppage time, two games, vd