Day 3

Spain 1-1 Italy

Current European Championship holders Spain began their campaign to become the first ever nation to defend the crown with a 1-1 draw to Italy in Poland.



34-year-old Antonio Di Natale came off the bench to open the scoring for the Italian's, before Cesc Fabregas equalised immediately for Spain as both sides shared the points.

It was the last two World Cup Champion's facing off against each other, and the two played out an evenly matched opening half.

Fabregas, usually a central midfielder, was played as a striker by Vicente del Bosque, while Fernando Torres and Fernando Llorente started on the bench. Meanwhile for Italy they were looking to rectify their off-field problems where players had been caught up in yet another match fixing scandal.

Italy created the better chances throughout the opening 45 minutes, then withstood an early Spain barrage in the second half before taking the lead through Di Natale.

He received a wonderful through ball from Andrea Pirlo before placing his shot perfectly into the bottom corner with a fantastically executed finish.

However their lead didn't last long, with Fabregas equalising 3 minutes later. David Silva was at the heart of the move, playing a fantastic pass to Fabregas with the outside of his boot, before the midfielder-turned-striker swept home from close range.

Both Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas were forced into good saves to conclude the match, as they ended the 90 minutes locked at 1-1.

Ireland 1-3 Croatia

Croatia took full advantage of the draw in the opening game of Group C by recording a solid 3-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland.

Mario Mandzukic got the Croat's off to the perfect start, before Sean St Ledger leveled for the Irish. However a controversial strike from Nikica Jelavic and an own goal by Shay Given meant Croatia finished 3-1 winners.

Just 3 minutes into the game and Ireland, competing at their first ever European Championship, had their nerves exposed. Darijo Srna had a cross deflected into the area, and Mandzukic steadied himself before heading into the bottom corner. It was the perfect start for the Croat's, but the worst possible opening for Ireland.

Ireland recovered and eased the tension on 19 minutes when they pulled that goal back. Aiden McGeady swung a nice free kick into the area, and the big centre back St Ledger glanced a header past the keeper.

The scores would have been all square at the break, had it not been for some strange officiating just two minutes before half time. Jelavic was clearly standing in an offside position when the ball somehow broke to him following a series of ricochets, and with the assistant referee not flagging for offside, Jelavic lifted his shot over the keeper to put Croatia back in front at the break.

Four minutes into the second half and the game was as good as over. Mandzukic headed goalwards, and after the ball struck the post, it rebounded onto Given's head and into the back of the net for a rather comical own goal.

The last two Croatian goals, combined with a blatant foul on Robbie Keane inside the area, summed up Ireland's day. They didn't have the luck of the Irish, and will now face an extremely up hill battle to qualify from Group C, with games against Spain and Italy awaiting.

Croatia 3 (+2)

Italy 1 (0)

Spain 1 (0)

Ireland 0 (-2)