Injury-hit Italy salvaged a 2-2 draw against Bulgaria in a pulsating Euro 2016 Group H encounter at a near-empty Vasil Levski stadium yesterday thanks to Brazilian-born debutant Eder’s brilliant late equaliser.

The stunning goal from the son of the 1982 Brazilian World Cup luminary Eder leaves Italy still unbeaten on 11 points but now two points adrift of group leaders Croatia, with Bulgaria still languishing in fourth place on just five points.

Italy had grabbed the lead in the fourth minute when the Bulgarian left back Yordan Minev put the ball into his own net under pressure from Simone Zaza following Andrea Bertolacci’s left-wing cross.

Bulgaria levelled the score seven minutes later thanks to Ivelin Popov’s thunderous 20-metre drive that ended his 17-month international goal drought.

A few thousand Bulgaria supporters, having not seen a home win in a competitive match in two years, erupted into cheers in the 17th minute when striker Ilian Micanski made it 2-1 with a bullet header from Georgi Milanov’s precise cross.

But six minutes from time, substitute Eder, who replaced Zaza 13 minutes after the break, collected a pass from captain Giorgio Chiellini with his back to goal before spinning away from his marker and curling an unstoppable shot into the far corner.

Earlier, Croatia edged towards the Euro 2016 finals with a 5-1 home win over Norway but coach Niko Kovac was still not totally happy with the performance.

Midfielder Marcelo Brozovic fired the hosts ahead in the first half while Ivan Perisic, Ivica Olic, Gordon Schildenfeld and Danijel Pranjic scored after the break, with Alexander Tettey netting a consolation for the visitors.

Although Croatia ripped their rivals apart with crisp passing and slick movement after Brozovic struck on the half-hour, Kovac scorned them for a lack of guile in the first half.

“It’s a great result but I am not entirely satisfied because we were not aggressive enough in the first half,” he told Croatia’s state HRT television.

“We didn’t stick to the game plan, pulled out of 50-50 tackles too often and lacked discipline.

“We still have a lot of work to do and beating Italy in our next (qualifying) game will require a higher level.”

The result stretched Croatia’s unbeaten home record in Euro qualifiers to 29 matches and put them two points clear of Italy in the standings.

Dutch leveller

The Netherlands scored two minutes into stoppage time with a deflected Wesley Sneijder shot to secure a 1-1 draw with Turkey in Group A.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar got a slight deflection to a long-range shot from captain Sneijder in the 92nd minute to rescue a point for the Dutch, who looked to be heading to their third defeat in five matches.

Burak Yilmaz scored in the 37th minute at the Amsterdam Arena, given time in the penalty area to fire off a shot that took a deflection off Bruno Martins Indi to put the Turks ahead at halftime.

The Dutch stayed third in the standings with seven points from five games. Turkey have five points at the halfway point of the qualifying campaign.

Group A

Kazakstan 0
Iceland 3
Gudjohnsen 20; Bjarnason 32, 90;

Czech Rep. 1
Pilar 90;
Latvia 1
Visnakovs 30;

Netherlands 1
Sneijder 90;
Turkey 1
Yilmaz 37;

Group B

Israel 0
Wales 3
Ramsey 45; Bale 50, 77;

Andorra 0
Bosnia 3
Dzeko 13, 49, 63;

Belgium 5
Fellaini 21, 66; Benteke 35; Hazard 67; Batshuayi 80;
Cyprus 0

Group H

Azerbaijan 2
Huseynov 3; Nazarov 90;
Malta 0

Croatia 5
Brozovic 30; Perisic 54; Olic 66; Schildenfeld 87; Pranjic 90;
Norway 1
Tettey 81;

Bulgaria 2
Popov 11; Micanski 17;
Italy 2
Minev 4 og; Eder 84;