Croatia stun Spain to top Group D, Spain to face Italy in last 16

Ivan Perisic's late winner gave Croatia a victory over Spain, capping the best performance and best game of Euro 2016 so far. Croatia win the group; Spain come second, and will play Italy in the last sixteen.

The way Spain started, it looked as though they would have too much class for their opponents, crafting a clever and dainty opening goal for Alvaro Morata, who tapped home Cesc Fabregas' square pass. But Croatia, playing with conviction, intensity and intelligence, fought their way back into the game, and Nikola Kalinic's flying, flicked volley earned them an equaliser just before half-time.

Botrh sides had chances to win it in the second half, the best falling to Sergio Ramos. Vedran Corluka was punished for fouling David Silva as they contested Andres Iniesta's cross - it looked dodgy - though not as dodgy as Danijel Subasic's charge off his line when Ramos paused and facilitating the ensuing block. Quite what his attackers were thinking, allowing him to take the kick remains a mystery.

The game continued to pulsate thereafter, and after Aritz Aduriz's shot was blocked by Dario Srna, a swift break allowed Kalinic to hold up possession and Perisic to drill home at the near post as David de Gea opted to save with his feet.

May we merit many more such games.

Everyone always suspected the Spanish defence was suspect, but so well did they - and Barcelona - protect the ball, that no one ever got to find out. Croatia showed that they are indeed fallible, pouring forwards whenever they could and giving Pique, Alba, Ramos and Juanfran as uncomfortable a night as they can have endured in sometime. The rest of the competition have seen how to beat them - can they respond?

This could go to more or less any Croatian, but Jedvaj only played because Domagoj Vida was suspended, and is only 20 years old. Yet he played with maturity and composure - as well as the expected fire - and made several crucial interventions.

Croatia: Subasic 7, Srna 7, Corluka 8, Jedvaj 8, Vrsaljko 7, Rog 7, Badelj 7, Perisic 8, Rakitic 8, Pjaca 8, Nikola Kalinic 8. Subs: Kovacic 6, Cop 6, Kramaric 6.

Spain: De Gea 5, Juanfran 5, Pique 6, Sergio Ramos 5, Jordi Alba 6, Fabregas 5, Busquets 6, Iniesta 5, Silva 8, Morata 6, Nolito 6. Subs: Bruno 6, Aduriz 6, Thiago 6.

7' GOAL! Croatia 0-1 Spain (Morata). What a goal this is! Spain pass the ball, like Spain but with added purpose and risk, and it moves from right-back to left-wing, where Silva cuts in and back before swivelling to slot a sumptuous reverse-pass into Fabregas's path. He squares, obviously, and Morato taps home. An absolute hunk of a goal.

14' Rakitic hits the bar - Oh my! De Gea ponces out of his area, loses the ball 20 yards out when Pjaca harries him, and Rakitic pounces, lobbing delightfully - but somehow, hits bar, Pique and post without any further joy.

28' Nolito shot blocked - Silva teases his way into and across the box, Juanfran makes a decoy run outside him, he squares to Fabregas who lays back for Nolito, and his shot is deflected behind. The corner comes to nowt - eventually - but the intricacy and angles of Spain's passing, dearie me.

45' GOAL! Croatia 1-1 Spain (Kalinic). What a goal this is! Perisic goes down the left and Cruyffturns Juanfran inside, then digs out a cross to the near post that clears Rakitic's head. But behind him is a flying Kalinic, who flick-volleys home with the outside of his right foot. Superbly done!

57' Pjaca chance - Croatia are feeling this, Srna stretching down the right and crossing - De Gea comes again, aware that Jedvaj is lurking behind him. But this leaves him out of position when the ball drops - he does superbly to block the follow-up, well out of his goal, before Pjaca sends an overhead kick wide.

67' Ramos miss - This is a bad miss from Sergio Ramos. Spain win consecutive corners from the left and the second finds Ramos free inside the box, perhaps eight yards out. He rises well, connects beautifully, and guides it expertly ... past the far post.

71' PENALTY FOR SPAIN! They work it beautifully around the box, Iniesta flights a ball to far stick, and Silva falls over with Corluka close by. That doesn't look a penalty to me - if anything, it was a foul by Aduriz - but the ref gives it... RAMOS HESITATES, SUBOSIC STAYS, AND IS HECTARES OFF HIS LINE BY THE TIME RAMOS PANELS IT AGAINST HIS HANDS!

88' GOAL! Croatia 2-1 Spain (Perisic). And don't they deserve it! Immediately following that blocked shot, Croatia nash upfield as one, Rakitic finding Kalinic who slips outside for Perisic. He drills a saveable effort at the near post - it takes a slight deflection - and De Gea goes with his feet, poking it into the side-netting. Italy v Spain in Paris on Monday!

90+5 Silva chance David Silva dances across the box yet again, but he takes himself wide of goal to the left, swivelling to drive across goal - which Versaljko intercepts with an almighty lunge!

Spain lost their first European Championship match since 20 June 2004, when Portugal beat them 1-0 in Group A.

Spain lost their first ever EURO match after having been ahead.

Spain's 10-match winning streak (no goals conceded) in competitive matches (EURO 2016 and EURO 2016 qualifiers) came to an end.

Croatia top their EURO group for the second time after 2008, when they finished ahead of Germany, Austria and Poland.

Croatia reached the quarterfinal for the third time, after EURO 1996 and EURO 2008.

Spain conceded a goal at the EUROs for the first time in 735 minutes. Prior to today Antonio Di Natale (ITA) was the last player to score against Spain in the 1-1 draw in their opening fixture of EURO 2012.

Spain conceded multiple goals for the first time at the EUROs since their 2-1 defeat against France in the EURO 2000 quarterfinals (17 EURO matches since).

Sergio Ramos missed the first regular time penalty for Spain at the EUROs since Raúl on 25 June 2000 against Fabien Barthez (FRA), 2-1 win France.

Spain have now failed to convert five penalties in EURO history, most of all teams. Netherlands are next with two missed penalties.

Spain have now failed to convert eight of their last 16 penalties in all competitions (4 saved, 3 wide, 1 hit bar).

Croatia joined France (2004) in being the only two teams to cause two penalties at one edition of the European Championships.

Two of six penalties have been missed at these EUROs, as Cristiano Ronaldo hit the post for Portugal last Saturday. Both missed penalties were taken by the team's captains: Ronaldo and Ramos.