Croatia vs Albania live update (2024)

What a start to day six at Euro 2024!

I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that there are two more matches coming your way today, and The Athletic is covering both of them live.

We are 10 minutes away from kick-off in Germany's second game of their home tournament against Hungary — click here to follow it live.

• Last-minute equaliser
• Unluckiest own goal?
• Giasula redeems himself
• Knockout hopes for Albania?

The Athletic trio Tim Spiers, Dermot Corrigan and Carl Anka were on hand to deliver The Briefing after an all-action 2-2 draw between Croatia and Albania in Group B — give it a read below.

I mentioned that Gjasula was just the second player in European Championship history to score a goal and an own goal in the same goal.

Well, we can take that one step further as he is the only substitute to do that in the tournament's history.

And his stoppage-time goal — clocked at 94 minutes and 23 seconds — is the latest equaliser ever scored at a European Championship.

A landmark day, then, for the 34-year-old.

Kramaric became just the third player to score a European Championship goal on his birthday when he netted the equaliser in the 74th minute.

• Andrej Kramaric (vs Albania): 33rd birthday – Today
• Wesley Sneijder (vs Italy): 24th birthday – June 9, 2008
• Jean-Francois Demorgue x2 (vs Portugal): 27th birthday – June 23, 1984

Plenty of contenders for the Player of the Match award, but it is Croatia's Andrej Kramaric who is the recipient of the award.

He scored the equaliser and played a key role in the own goal that gave his side the lead in the second half. And Croatia were still in the lead when he was substituted in the 84th minute.

There was nothing more the Hoffenheim striker could have done to get his team over the line in the second half.

A nice present on his 33rd birthday, but I'm sure he would have preferred to celebrate it with a win.

38-year-old Modric almost single-handedly dragged Croatia back into that match at times, after a really poor first half from him and his team-mates.

You would have been forgiven for forgetting the Real Madrid midfielder's age in that second period as he rolled back the years with an intensity that we haven't often seen in the twilight of his career.

But the last-gasp equaliser leaves him and his Croatia team-mates facing elimination in what will surely be his final major international tournament. They will need at least a draw against Italy on Monday to have any chance of making it through.

Croatia must have been expecting to join Spain and Italy on three points when the fourth official's board went up to indicate six minutes of stoppage time.

But they were pegged back and, instead, will probably need to beat Italy in their final group-stage game to progress to the last 16.

Albania equaliser well deserved, and also pretty interesting for Spain - who they play in the final game.

A draw between Spain and Italy tomorrow, which seems quite likely, would set up a very interesting final round of games with all four countries still with chances to progress.

There won't be many players who pack as much into 25 minutes as Gjasula did for Albania there.

Here is a timeline of his substitute appearance:

• 72' – Replaced Laci
• 76' – Scored an own goal that gave Croatia the lead
• 90+5' –Scored at the right end to make it 2-2
• 90+7' – Booked for a desperate professional foul on Modric who was breaking away

He becomes just the second player in European Championship history to score a goal and an own goal in the same match.

You're absolutely right, Tim.

That was absolutely brilliant and it joins the long list of unbelievable matches at this European Championship.

You can hardly move for all the goals being scored in Germany in the first week of this tournament — long may it continue!

FT Croatia 2-2 Albania

What. An. Ending.

After late counter-attacking chances for both teams, the referee calls time on another classic at Euro 2024.

It is only right that both teams come away with a point after that pulsating second half.

90+6' Croatia 2-2 Albania

Croatia cannot hold on as Albania break their defensive resolve.

Hoxha was at the heart of it again and he fed a ball down the left wing for Mitaj. His square ball into the penalty area was perfectly into Gjasula's path and his low, left-footed effort left Livakovic with no chance.

The perfect way for Gjasula to atone for his earlier own goal!

90+5 Croatia 2-2 Albania

And they have rescued a point!

90+3' Croatia 2-1 Albania

Albania are doing everything they can to rescue a point here.

More good work from Hoxha got them into the penalty area and Daku aimed an effort towards the far corner, but for a superb block from Sosa.

Daku then looked to follow up that attempt but kicked Gvardiol in the head as he went for the ball — ouch.

90+2' Croatia 2-1 Albania

Albania have four more minutes to find an equaliser as six minutes have been added on.

90+1' Croatia 2-1 Albania

Nearly a dramatic late equaliser for Albania!

They came forward on another counter attack and it was the substitute Hoxha who fired an effort from distance towards goal. Livakovic made the save but spilled it into the path of Daku who was nearly able to beat the Croatia goalkeeper.

But Livakovic just got across to deny him and Daku had gone too early anyway and was offside.

88' Croatia 2-1 Albania

The questions continued to be asked of Modric in the first half, but he has been back at his best in this second half.

He was very nearly able to cap his side's victory in the closing stages but his right-footed from just outside the penalty area was always veering away from the bottom corner.

Even at 38 years old, the Real Madrid midfielder still possesses the quality to change a game at this level.

87' Croatia 2-1 Albania

What a difference Budimir has made.

Maligned in some quarters after blunt showing against Spain on Saturday, the Osasuna striker set up Kramaric's goal just five minutes after coming on today, and it was his run and cross which caused the second goal.

Whether he starts or not on Monday against Italy, he'll have a role to play for sure.