Euro 2024: Italy Overcomes Early Setback to Beat Albania 2-1 in Title Defense Opener
Italy began their Euro 2024 title defense with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Albania, recovering from a record-setting early goal by the Albanians. Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella ensured the defending champions secured a win in their opening match.
Albania stunned Italy with the fastest goal ever scored in European Championship history, as Nedim Bajrami found the net just 23 seconds into the match following a defensive error by Federico Dimarco. This goal broke the previous record held by Russia’s Dmitri Kirichenko, who scored after 67 seconds against Greece in 2004.
Despite the early setback, Italy maintained their composure. Bastoni equalized in the 11th minute with a header from a Lorenzo Pellegrini corner. Five minutes later, Barella put Italy ahead with a powerful shot from outside the box.
Italy continued to dominate possession, with Davide Frattesi nearly extending their lead in the 34th minute, only to be denied by Albanian goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha. The Italians, under new coach Luciano Spalletti, displayed fast and precise passing but created few clear-cut chances.
Central defender Riccardo Calafiori stood out in his third international appearance, filling in for injured teammates. Spalletti, who took over the national team in September following Roberto Mancini’s departure to coach Saudi Arabia, praised his team’s resilience and character.
“They were great because they all shared in the difficulty that the team was facing and they did the right thing. No one threw their arms up in the air,” Spalletti said. “They showed that they are a strong team in terms of character. I am happy with them. But there are lots of things that need to improve.”
Albania’s coach, Sylvinho, acknowledged the tension felt by his players, participating in only their second major tournament. “It wasn’t easy for us,” Sylvinho said. “We have young players and there was some nervousness. Italy are a strong side and we were in a battle with them. The lads did well.”
This victory is crucial for Italy in the challenging Group B. Their next match against Spain, who defeated Croatia 3-0, will be a significant test. Albania will face Croatia on Wednesday.
