Croatia vs Albania highlights, CRO 2-2 ALB, Euro 2024: Late Gjasula equaliser earns a point for the Albanians in four-goal thriller

It is finally over at the Volksparkstadion and it has been a fantastic match of football. Croatia and Albania play out a 2-2 draw and both teams end with a point. 

Croatia with a last-ditch effort but Strakosha makes the save to keep scores level. 

Croatia booking: Gjasula sees a yellow card for bringing down Modric and hampering his run to start to a counter-attack. 

Klaus Gjasula has redeemed himself - After scoring an own goal, which gave the lead to Croatia, he now finds the net with an excellent finish for the late equaliser. He arrows in a first-time strike from a cutback from the left and Livakovic is beaten. 

Croatia booking: Daku sees a yellow card for his challenge on Gvardiol. 

Daku shoots at goal but ends up catching Gvardiol with a high boot. Croatia gets a foul and a chance to see out some precious seconds. 

Livakovic is bleeding and goes out of the pitch to receive treatment. He looks okay to continue and will see out the rest of the match. Albania has a little of six minutes to find an equaliser. 

Six minutes added at the end of the second-half!

Livakovic makes a good save and Daku tries to score from the rebound. Livakovic does well to recover and block Daku’s shot and the Croatian keeper has hurt himself in the process. He collided with the running Daku at full stretch.

Modric takes a shot at goal from outside the box but fails to find the target. Now Croatia is looking for that third goal, which would kill the match. 

The quick goals have surely taken a hit on the morale of the Albania players. Seferi tries to start an attack but ends up being in an offside position. 

Croatia subs: IN- Baturina, Sosa OUT- Kramaric, Perisic 

It has been a monumental effort from the Albanians to have the Crotians at bay for so long but in just three minutes, the Eagles find themselves on the brink of a possible Euro 2024 exit. 

What a turnaround in Hamburg - Sucic’s strike bounces off Gjasula and the ball ends up at the back of the Albanian net. Croatia has scored two goals in two minutes to turn its fate around. On the other hand, heartbreak for the Albanians.. 

The patience has finally paid off and the Albania defence has finally been breached - Kramaric takes the ball on the stride after Budimir’s pass and makes his way inside the box. He is marked closely but he shifts the ball to his right and expertly slots the ball inside the net between the legs of Gvardiol. Strakosha was a spectator as the ball went in. 

Albania sub: IN- Gjasula OUT- Laci

The Albania goalscorer makes his way off the pitch and gets a brilliant reception from the Albania fans inside the stadium. 

Croatia has depended a lot on its flank play, with lots of balls coming inside the Albania box. However, the Albanians have been resolute with their defending. 

Croatia sub: IN- Budimir OUT- Petkovic 

Albania manages to get outside its half and launch a counter-attack. Bajrami carries the ball and despite, having support, goes for the shot himself. The effort is not on target and the attack comes to an end. 

Albania sub: IN- Seferi OUT- Asani 

Aslani manages to get a shot on target in a tight space but it is an easy effort for Livakovic to deal with it, as the ball comes straight at him. 

Modric goes for a first-time shot and he catches it very well. Ramadani bravely puts his body on the line and gets the block. However, it comes at a cost as Ramadani goes down on the ground with the impact. That will be sore for a while. Croatia players feel like the game should not have been stopped for that because it is not a head injury. 

It is another cross inside the box by Croatia, as Juranovic whips in the ball from the right flank. But the Albanian defence comes out on top yet again and sends it out for a corner. Croatia has sent in a lot of ball inside the box from the flanks, especially in the second-half but none of them have threatened the Albanian goal. 

Croatia with another shot on target - this time, Kovacic’s shot takes a deflection, which might have been tricky for Strakosha to deal with. But the ball goes straight to the Albania keeper. 

Pasalic has the chance to trouble Strakosha after getting at the end of a header but fails to keep it on target. 

Sucic finds space inside the box and lines up a shot at the Albania gaol. But Strakosha is equal to it, getting down quickly and making a solid save. 

Juranovic crosses inside the Albania box from the right but none of the Croatia players can get a solid touch. Strakosha collects the ball. 

Croatia subs: IN- Sucic, Pasalic OUT- Majer, Brozovic 

Albania with a slender 1-0 lead against Croatia as the second-half gets underway at the Volksparkstadion. 

Qazim Laci’s header keeps Albania in a 1-0 lead against Croatia at the break. 

Manaj gets a shot at goal from inside the Croatia box but Livakovic makes another good save to keep Albania’s lead to just a goal. 

Just a minute added at the end of the first-half!

Kramaric’s cross from the left takes a wicket deflection and the ball might have found its way to a Croatia player. But fortune is on Albania’s side as it goes straight to Strakosha. 

Kramaric gets the ball near the Albania penalty area and dances past a couple of challenges before lobbing it inside the box, hoping to find a teammate. However, the Albania defence comes out on top yet again and clears the ball without fuss. 

Manaj almost gets to a loose ball inside the Croatia box but Livakovic, who had anticipated the danger, makes a timely rush and gets to it before the Albania No. 7 can reach it. 

Modric takes the freekick, as he swings a cross inside the box but Strakosha does well to get a solid punch and clear the ball away to momentary safety. 

Asani commits a foul near the Albania box and Croatia has a freekick in a dangerous area. 

SAVE - Asani with a brilliant chance to double Albania’s lead. He gets the ball after a slight deflection sends the ball on his path. One-on-one with Livakovic, he shoots, but the Croatia keeper manages to make the save. A big save, considering the circumstances. 

Asani with another good cross inside the Croatia box after cutting in on the right flank. The initial cross is headed away but the ball falls to Ajeti, who shoots on the volley. However, it is a difficult technique to pull off and the centre-back cannot keep his effort on target. 

Majer’s inswinger from the left flank is excellent, with Petkovic getting at the end of it. Petkovic gets a header away but fails to keep his effort on target. 

Perisic tries to win an aerial ball inside the Albania box but ends up fouling his marker. Albania has a chance to slow the pace and clear the ball from its own half. 

The entire Albania team is back, defending in numbers as Croatia look to find an opening. The Eagles could not keep their lead for long in their opening match against Italy and will look to change that in this match. 

It is end-to-end football as Croatia break this time.. The Albania defence quickly retreat as Brozovic takes a shot from outside the box. However, the grounded effort is not on target. 

Modric takes charge and swings a cross inside the box. However, it is easily cleared away by the Albania defence. 

The clearance sparks a countera-attack by Albania, with Bajrami leading the charge. He makes a run at goal, without any support. He is eventually closed down by two Croatin defenders and Sutalo manages to take the ball from him and send it back to his keeper. 

Croatia’s urgency for the equaliser has just increased. The Vatreni are still searching for their first goal of Euro 2024. If they lose this match, it is most likely over for Dalic and his men. 

Bajrami gets the ball on the right side of the box. He cuts in and then shoots low at the near-post. The ball takes a deflection off a Croatia player and goes out for a corner. Albania is flying high at the moment, while Croatia is all over the place. 

Asani gets possession on the right flak and finds himself with plenty of time to whip a cross inside the box. Laci times his run to perfection to arrive at the near post and head the ball inside the net. Albania has another early goal and Croatia is on the backfoot yet again. 

Petkovic get the ball inside the box and tries to send it to the back post with a lob, However, the cross is blocked.

It has mainly been a midfield battle till now, with both teams looking to make inroads in the opposition’s final third. But the Albania supporters are doing their part. The atmosphere is electric inside the Volksparkstadion.

Both teams started their Euro 2024 campaign with a loss but Albania put on a much more spirited performance in its 2-1 loss against defending champion Italy compared to Croatia’s 3-0 loss to Spain. 

One would thing that Zlatko Dalic and his Croatia team will be under more pressure to win this match today. 

The Euro 2024 Group B match between Croatia and Albania is underway at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany.

Strakosha (GK); Mitaj, Arlind Ajeti, Djimsiti (C), Hysaj; Laci, Ramdani, Asllani; Bajrami, Manaj, Asani 

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Chastened by defeats to the heavyweights of Group B, Croatia and Albania both need a win in their clash on Wednesday to ignite their Euro 2024 campaign and give them hope of progressing. 

Croatia has a rich World Cup history but has never replicated that at the Euros and began its latest attempt with a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Spain.

Albania is at only its second major tournament and performed creditably against defending champions Italy in its opening match, taking an early lead before succumbing 2-1.

EURO 2024: Licking their wounds, Croatia and Albania prepare for Group B dogfight

Chastened by defeats to the heavyweights of Group B, Croatia and Albania both need a win in their clash on Wednesday to ignite their Euro 2024 campaign and give them hope of progressing.

The Croatia vs Albania Euro 2024 match will be live telecasted on the Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD in English, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD in Hindi, Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD in Tamil & Telugu and Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD in Bengali & Malayalam.

The match can be live-streamed on the SonyLIV app and website.

The Croatia vs Albania Euro 2024 match will kick-off at 6:30 PM IST on Wednesday, June 19, at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany.