Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has admitted that he was at fault for Croatia's equaliser in their Group B clash in Poznan.
Andrea Pirlo had put the Azzurri in the lead just before half time, but Chiellini's defensive lapse allowed Mario Mandzukic to level the scores at
The Juventus centre-back misjudged the flight of the ball and said that he was punished for his costly error.
"I was a little too tight and the ball was long, then Mandzukic did well to stop and score, but I certainly should've done better," Chiellini told Rai Sport.
"Unfortunately at this level you get punished for every mistake.
"We knew Croatia were good with crosses into the box and allowed them very little, but the team got too deep and we were under more pressure, then sadly I got my positioning wrong."
Italy need a victory over the Republic of Ireland if they are to have any hope of qualifying for the knockout stages.
Michael Penkman
