Defending champion Italy started the European Championship tournament with a narrow 2-1 (2-1) victory over outsider Albania on Saturday (June 15, 2024). Nedim Bajrami scored the first goal of the match in the 1st minute, Alessandro Bastoni (11th) and Nicolo Barella (16th) turned the game around before the break.
To be more precise, the game was only 23 seconds old when the ball was already in the net. After a catastrophic throw-in by Federico Dimarco directly into the feet of Bajrami, he said “thank you” and fired the ball into the top corner from a few meters – and at the same time made history with the 1-0 for Albania.
Bastoni with the equalizer
Because no player had ever scored earlier at a European Championship finals. The fastest goal at a European Championship to date was scored by Russian Dmitri Kiritschenko after 67 seconds in the preliminary round of 2004 in a 2-1 win against eventual European champions Greece.
Despite the early shock, the Squadra Azzurra only shook themselves briefly and then played the underdog, with Darmstadt’s Klaus Gjasula only sitting on the bench, into a wall. Lorenzo Pellegrini’s first shot went just wide of the post (2nd minute), Alessandro Bastoni did better in the 11th minute. After a beautiful cross from Pellegrini, the 25-year-old from Inter Milan nodded in unchallenged to equalize.
Italy dominates, Barella scores
The defending European champions did not let up and continued to dominate the match at will. The result of this constant pressure: In the 16th minute, Nicolo Barella scored with a spectacular volley to give Italy a deserved lead. The game had turned around, and the previously frenetic Albanian fans in the Dortmund Arena had largely fallen silent.
Only when they took the lead did coach Luciano Spalletti’s team take their foot off the accelerator a little, but they still controlled the game effortlessly despite not having quite as much momentum. In the 33rd minute, Davide Frattesi hit the post with a lob, and in the 40th minute, Gianluca Scamacca was stopped by keeper Alex Meret. Apart from a long-range shot by Jasir Asani (44th), Albania had no further chances before the break.
Manaj has the equalizer on his feet
The picture of the match didn’t really change in the second half. Italy remained the dominant team, but Albania tried a little more – or at least tried to. Coach Sylvinho’s team didn’t pose much of a threat, though. The match continued to take place mostly in the Albanian half. Federico Chiesa was the first to fire a warning shot after the break (60′).
The defending champions then switched to management mode and the game became more and more of a drag – which also posed a danger for the Italians. Ultimately, another goal from the harmless Albanians could have completely turned the game on its head. And the underdogs had just that one opportunity out of nowhere in the 90th minute. However, substitute Rey Manaj put the ball just wide of the goal, which meant that the Italians ultimately won narrowly but deservedly.
Italy’s next opponent is Spain
“We should have scored more goals,” admitted an honest Barella after the game. “When a goal is scored, it’s always dangerous.” Italy’s next match in Group B will be against Spain on 20 June (9 p.m.) in Gelsenkirchen, while Albania will face Croatia in the second group match on 19 June (3 p.m.) in a duel between the losers of the first matchday.