Euro 2012: Draw Against Croatia Leaves Italy on Shaky Ground

One step forward, one step back for the Italians.

Registering a 1-1 draw against Croatia on Thursday in Poznan, they effectively erased the good vibes created by their 1-1 draw against Spain last Sunday.

Sure the ability to advance is still in front of them, but you have to be disappointed with a draw after coach Cesare Prandelli said before the festivities that this was “the decisive match” of Group C.

Italy has now gone winless in their second match in the group stages for five major tournaments in a row, dating back to Euro 2000.

Aside from the brilliant free-kick goal from Andrea Pirlo that found itself in the back of the net in the 38th minute, the offense wasn’t very aggressive.

Despite possessing the ball for 52 percent of the game, Italy rarely created a scoring opportunity, as their attack seemed a bit too passive for such an important match. The second half featured few adjustments from the Italians, and it led to little offensive fireworks and a sense of complacency until Croatian Mario Mandzukic knotted up the score in the 72nd minute.

You could blame Giorgio Chiellini for being out of position, but he wasn’t the only one on that play. Still, it was a rare moment where the Italian defense looked sloppy. Overall it has been the best part of this squad through two games.

Now the Croatians have just one loss in their last seven meetings against the Italians and have three wins over that span. This is unacceptable for a team as talented as Italy, but there is no looking back now.

The focus turns to Ireland, where they essentially have to notch a win to have a shot of advancing out of Group C. If Spain defeats Ireland in the later match of today, the hopes of advancing for the Italians takes a significant blow.

For Italy to beat Ireland, the defense must continue to stay aggressive and keep the Irish offense on its heels. As for the offense, Mario Balotelli has to show up. He is one of the most versatile players in this entire tournament and is a physical freak. He has failed to make his mark in this tournament and that can no longer be the case.

A multiple-goal margin of victory will be important for the Italians, and the key is to turn up the intensity on offense and keep the pressure on the Irish defense.

Italy isn’t dead—but they aren’t exactly breathing comfortably either. 

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