Italy come from behind to defeat Albania in Euro 2024 opener

Italy began their Euro 2024 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Albania in Dortmund, showcasing their resilience as reigning champions. The match started dramatically with Albania's Nedim Bajrami scoring the fastest goal in European Championship history just 23 seconds in, capitalising on a poor throw-in by Italy. This early setback put Italy on the back foot as they faced a determined Albanian side.

However, Italy responded ten minutes later when Alessandro Bastoni equalised with a well-placed header from a Lorenzo Pellegrini cross. The momentum shifted further in Italy's favour five minutes after the equaliser, when Nicolo Barella struck a powerful shot from the edge of the area, giving Italy a 2-1 lead. Despite having opportunities to extend their advantage, Italy struggled to find the net again before the half-time whistle.

Albania's defensive efforts kept the match tense, particularly as Italy sought to maintain their lead. Italy's Davide Frattesi came close to scoring, but Albania's goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha made a crucial save, pushing his shot onto the post. Strakosha also denied Gianluca Scamacca, keeping Albania in the game and making the closing stages nerve-wracking for the Italian side.

In the final moments, Albania nearly equalised when Rey Manaj had a goal-bound shot that struck Gianluigi Donnarumma, ensuring Italy held on for the win. Italy's head coach Luciano Spalletti acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly in maintaining aggression during play. He emphasised the importance of playing well while also recognising the necessity of winning matches in the tournament.

via Sky Sports