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Croatia 1-1 Italy: Missed Mandzukic penalty costs home side

A missed penalty from Mario Mandzukic saw Croatia pass on the chance to earn all three points as they were held 1-1 by Italy in Group H.

Croatia rued a missed penalty from Mario Mandzukic after being held to a 1-1 draw with second-placed Italy in Euro 2016 qualifying Group H on Friday.

Playing in front of an empty stadium in Split as punishment for alleged racist chanting against Norway in March, Niko Kovac's side maintained its two-point advantage at the top of the pool, but that cushion would have been bigger had Gianluigi Buffon - who was taken off at halftime – not saved Mandzukic's early spot kick.