Football

Lazio's relentless pursuit of Serie A's top four continued with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Cagliari on Monday. The match at the Stadio Olimpico witnessed a dramatic turn of events, with Cagliari finishing the game with nine men.Mattia Zaccagni emerged as the hero for Lazio, converting a crucial penalty in the 76th minute. His goal propelled Lazio to fifth place, just a goal difference away from the coveted Champions League positions. The victory marked Lazio's eighth win in nine matches across all competitions, putting them within striking distance of league leaders Napoli.Cagliari's hopes of an upset were initially boosted by Zito Luvumbo's equalizer just before halftime, canceling out Boulaye Dia's early opener for Lazio. However, their fortunes took a nosedive after Zaccagni's penalty.Yerry Mina's second yellow card for a seemingly innocuous foul on Valentin Castellanos sparked a chain reaction. Michel Adopo's furious protests earned him a second booking and a red card, leaving Cagliari with only nine players on the field.Meanwhile, Mario Balotelli made his long-awaited Serie A return for Genoa, who secured a vital 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Parma. Andrea Pinamonti's goal with 10 minutes remaining proved decisive, lifting Genoa out of the relegation zone.Balotelli, now 34, made his first Serie A appearance in four years as a late substitute. Despite limited playing time, he managed to pick up a yellow card in stoppage time. Genoa now sits one point above the drop zone, level with Parma, Cagliari, and Como.

Italy, the reigning European champions, will face Switzerland in the last 16 of Euro 2024 on Saturday, having narrowly qualified from the group stage. The Azzurri secured second place in Group B with a dramatic 98th-minute equalizer from Mattia Zaccagni against Croatia, finishing five points behind Spain.Coach Luciano Spalletti expressed mixed emotions after the group stage, praising his team's progress while criticizing their timid performance in the final game. He also lashed out at media pressure, potentially attempting to deflect attention from his inability to ignite the team's full potential.Despite Spalletti's claims of improvement, Italy's performance has been unconvincing, lacking the flair and dominance of the side that triumphed at Euro 2020. Key players from that tournament, such as Manuel Locatelli, Ciro Immobile, and Marco Verratti, have been omitted from the squad, while veterans Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini have retired.Lazio forward Zaccagni, who scored the crucial equalizer against Croatia, remains optimistic about Italy's chances in the knockout rounds. "We're focused on preparing for a very important match against Switzerland," he said. "We know we can suffer at times, but we always come out strong when it matters."Switzerland, led by Murat Yakin, boasts several Serie A players, including Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer and Bologna trio Dan Ndoye, Remo Freuler, and Michel Aebischer. "Switzerland is a very compact team that plays for each other," added Zaccagni. "It will take a great performance to beat them."Italy will be without the suspended Riccardo Calafiori, but Zaccagni is confident despite suffering a rib injury in the celebration of his late goal. Questions remain over Italy's best formation, with Spalletti experimenting with different shapes. Holding midfielder Jorginho has struggled in particular, while strikers Mateo Retegui and Gianluca Scamacca have failed to impress.Switzerland, who also pipped Italy to qualification for the last World Cup, are no longer considered an easy opponent. They went through Group A unbeaten, holding Germany to a 1-1 draw in their final group game. That result may have been a blessing in disguise, as it placed Switzerland in the perceived easier half of the draw.Switzerland proved at Euro 2020 that they can upset the odds, knocking out France on penalties in the last 16 before losing to Spain in the quarter-finals. That victory will give them confidence to try and equal their best ever finish in the tournament by reaching the last eight."We know how to win and lose in the round of 16," said Freuler. "We need an even better performance than in the group games. Saturday has to be our best performance in recent years."The winner of the Italy-Switzerland clash will face England or Slovakia in the quarter-finals.

Italy secured a dramatic 1-1 draw against Croatia in a thrilling Group B clash at Euro 2024, sending them into the knockout stages. Mattia Zaccagni's stunning last-gasp strike in the 98th minute proved to be the decisive moment, breaking Croatian hearts and sending Italy through as runners-up behind Spain.Croatia, led by the legendary Luka Modric, had taken the lead in the 55th minute through Modric's penalty, making him the oldest goalscorer in the competition's history. However, Italy refused to give up and fought back valiantly.The match was a tense affair from the outset, with both teams knowing that a draw would be enough for Croatia to advance. Italy, on the other hand, needed a win to secure their place in the last 16.Croatia dominated the early exchanges, but Italy gradually grew into the game and created several chances. However, it was Croatia who broke the deadlock when Andrej Kramaric's effort was handled by Davide Frattesi in the penalty area. Modric stepped up and converted the spot-kick, giving Croatia the lead.Italy responded well to the setback and continued to press for an equalizer. They were rewarded for their persistence when Zaccagni unleashed a brilliant strike into the top corner in the dying moments of the game.The goal sent Italy into raptures and left Croatia devastated. It was a cruel blow for the Croatians, who had played well throughout the match and deserved more from the game.Italy will now face Switzerland in the last 16, while Croatia's fate hangs in the balance. They are unlikely to qualify as one of the four best third-place teams, but they could still progress if other results go their way.