Euro Result: Italy 2-1 Albania
Euro Result: Italy 2-1 Albania
After giving up a goal in just 23 seconds, Luciano Spalletti’s team recovered to win admirably to start their championship defense at UEFA EURO 2024.
In the end, Italy’s victory was well-deserved, although Albania started off quickly. It was not quite twenty-three seconds into the game, with the loud pre-game anthems still reverberating around the BVB Stadion Dortmund, when Nedim Bajrami grabbed Federico Dimarco’s misdirected pass and scored.
The Azzurri were terrified by Albania’s dream start, but the holders’ reaction was outstanding; in just 15 minutes, they took the lead. After a brief corner, Alessandro Bastoni stood tall and headed in, and then Nicolò Barella’s incredible first-time goal sealed the comeback.
Thus far, so hectic. Italy had their noses ahead and put Albania under control before unleashing a barrage of strikes. With a fantastic turn of Nicolò Fagioli’s shot onto the post and a denial of the energetic Gianluca Scamacca, Thomas Strakosha kept the underdogs in the game.
Rey Manaj, an Albanian replacement, missed a late attempt to match the start of the contest, almost creating a shocking conclusion, but the holders are now leading.
Important statistics
- Bajrami’s first goal in the EURO championships, which he scored in under 23 seconds, beat Dmitri Kirichenko’s previous record of 67 seconds, which he established for Russia against Greece in 2004.
- It was the first time Italy has ever scored two goals in a EURO group match in history.
- After an 11-game streak, Albania become the first side to score against the Azzurri in the first half of a EURO group match since 2008.
- Italy has defeated Albania in each of their last five encounters.
- In all competitions, the Azzurri have won five of their last seven games (W5 D2).
- With nine goals in 51 appearances, Barella leads Italy’s EURO 2024 squad in scoring. Chiesa and Stephan El Shaarawy are next with seven goals apiece.
- Ylber Ramadani (Lecce), Kristjan Asllani (Inter), Elseid Hysaj (Lazio), Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta), and Bajrami (Sassuolo) are the five Albanians who play club football in Italy’s Serie A.
- Hysaj participated in all four of Albania’s games in the EURO finals.
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