Reigning champions Italy secured an opening victory at Euro 2024, defeating Albania 2-1 in a thrilling match in Dortmund on Saturday night. Despite a stunning start from Albania, with Nedim Bajrami scoring the fastest goal in European Championship history just 23 seconds into the game, Italy managed to turn the tide.
Goals from Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella in the second half earned Italy the win. Bastoni’s equalizer and Barella’s decisive strike showcased the champions’ resilience and quality, ensuring they began their title defense on a positive note.
Report from Euro 2024:
Holders Italy conceded the fastest goal in European Championship history but recovered to secure a narrow 2-1 victory over Albania in their Group B opener in Dortmund. Sylvinho’s Balkan minnows sent shockwaves through the tournament just 23 seconds in when Nedim Bajrami capitalized on an error to fire home at the near post.
The Azzurri responded swiftly, with Alessandro Bastoni’s header equalizing the score. Nicolo Barella then turned the game around with a wonderful first-time strike, putting Italy ahead with just 16 minutes on the clock.
Brentford shot-stopper Thomas Strakosha made several crucial saves, tipping Davide Frattesi’s dink onto the post and keeping out Gianluca Scamacca as Luciano Spalletti’s men pushed for a third goal. Despite dominating the game following the interval, Italy couldn’t extend their lead and were nearly punished in stoppage time when substitute Rey Manaj’s shot clipped just wide.
The victory places Italy second in Group B, behind leaders Spain on goal difference. Albania sits in third, with Croatia at the bottom after the first round of fixtures.
Next, Albania meets Croatia on Wednesday afternoon, while Spain faces Italy on Thursday.
Player of the Match:
Nicolò Barella was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance in Italy’s 2-1 victory over Albania. The Inter Milan midfielder orchestrated play from the heart of the team, showcasing his importance to Italy’s hopes in the tournament. Barella capped a superb showing with a wonderful goal and barely put a foot wrong throughout the match, demonstrating his critical role in Italy’s midfield.
Spalletti Calls for Improvement Despite Opening Win:
Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti commented on the team’s performance following their 2-1 victory over Albania:
On conceding the first goal:
“You need to acknowledge when you become reckless in pursuing a certain play because at that moment, it’s no longer worth it. The key was to clear that ball because we were trapped in the corner of the field, and we just needed to get it out. They did well many other times to get out of that situation, playing around the perimeter and moving the ball to the other side.”
On the importance of playing more aggressively:
“I’m very happy with them. But there are many things to improve because we enjoyed ourselves too much in situations where we needed to be more aggressive. It’s OK to be clean in the build-up; you free the man, and then you go for the kill. Instead, we stayed there, going back to the build-up phase and becoming excellent at managing the ball, which is something we need to work on and do better.”
On Italy’s chances of winning the Euros:
“Everyone tells me the same thing, even my current managers. ‘Coach, the important thing is to win. The important thing is to win.’ And everyone knows it. Since I started coaching children, I’ve heard ‘the important thing is to win.’ No, the important thing is to play well because if I’m the national team coach, it’s because my teams… or rather, not to say it. Otherwise, this can be twisted against me…”