One last attack. Eight minutes into the eight minutes of stoppage time, Italy was trailing when out of defense strode Riccardo Calafiori, collected the ball, and drove into the heart of Croatia's defense.
By the time he was approaching the penalty area all those in chequered shirts were drawn towards him and Calafiori slipped a pass to his left where Mattia Zaccagni was all alone.
There were 10 Croatia players in the camera shot but nobody near the Lazio winger who had not come on until the 81st minute when Luciano Spalletti started to throw on all the forwards he could find on the bench
Zaccagni seized the chance, first time with his right foot, he went for goal, teasing a shot beyond the dive of Dominik Livakovic with plenty of curls. Everyone inside the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig held their breath and watched.
Even the constant throbbing noise of the Croatia fans seemed to still as it sailed through the air. Then it hit the net, leveled the scores at 1-1 and the Italian contingent erupted. They have a new hero as they head for Berlin to face Switzerland in the last 16. One point was enough to clinch the runners-up spot behind Spain in Group B.
'We deserved to go through what we produced out there,' said boss Luciano Spalletti in a passionate post-match exchange with Italian reporters. 'Sure, we were a bit soft at times and didn't play our best football but going through was fully deserved, warranted.
'And it's hard to make it through this group because you said to me it was the 'Group of Death'. I didn't say it was. There are top teams, Spain are brilliant and Croatia are excellent. We have got a very challenging result and it is incredible what they have achieved.
'Those who came off the bench are giants. They kept the game in the balance, they did things perfectly. They kept that shape despite the fact we were ultra offensive with six attacking players on the pitch.'
Croatian hearts were broken. The final whistle went almost straight after Zaccagni's goal. 'Cruel, football can be merciless,' said Luka Modric, who had given his team the lead during an incredible three-minute spell early in the second half.
It was sparked by a penalty for a handball against Davide Frattesi, who had only been on the pitch for a few minutes.
Frattesi turned his back as Andrej Kramaric shaped a shot towards goal and it caught him on the arm. Referee Danny Makkelie did not notice but a VAR intervention and a trip to the pitchside monitor changed all that.
Modric put the ball on the spot and faced Gianluigi Donnarumma, hero of the tournament as Italy won it on penalties in 2021.
Donnarumma saved again, low to his left but that was not the end of it. Croatia kept the pressure on and delivered a cross from the right. Donnarumma made what was arguably an even better save to deny Ante Budimir from close range.
