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Croatia blow it against Ecuador

Ecuador's Carlos Tenorio controls the ball as Croatia's Dario Simic chases

YOKOHAMA, Japan (CNN) -- Croatia blew the chance of a place in the last 16 of the World Cup when they slipped to a desperate 1-0 defeat to Ecuador.

Defeat in Yokohama handed qualification to Italy, who scored a late goal to draw 1-1 with Group G winners Mexico. (Match report)

Edison Mendez was Ecuador's hero, slamming the ball into corner three minutes into the second half. It was their first win in the World Cup finals and consolation for a gallant campaign.

Croatia threw men forward in search of the equaliser that would put them through to the next round instead of Italy, but it did not come.

Striker Alen Boksic came closest to breaking the deadlock but his lob over keeper Jose Cevallos was cleared off the line by Augusto Porozo.

Croatia Stipe Pletikosa; Daniel Saric, Robert Kovac, Josip Simunic, Robert Jarni; Stjepan Tomas, Dario Simic, Niko Kovac; Ivica Olic, Milan Rapaic; Alen Boksic

Ecuador Jose Cevallos; Ulises De la Cruz, Ivan Hurtado, Augusto Porozo, Raul Guerron; Marlon Ayovi, Alfonso Obregon, Cleber Chala, Edison Mendez; Carlos Tenorio, Agustin Delgado

Referee William Mattus (Costa Rica)