Italy 2-1 Albania: Azzurri recover from shock start

Italy made a winning start to their UEFA EURO 2024 Group B campaign, showing impressive resolve in Dortmund after Albania's Nedim Bajrami registered the fastest ever EURO finals goal.

Match in brief: Azzurri show mettle

Alessandro Bastoni celebrates his equaliserAFP via Getty Images

Ultimately Italy were good value for their win but it was Albania who rocketed out of the blocks. The match was not 23 seconds old, with the deafening pre-match anthems still echoing around the BVB Stadion Dortmund, when Nedim Bajrami seized upon Federico Dimarco's wayward throw and fired in.

Albania's dream start was the stuff of nightmares for the Azzurri, but the holders' response was superlative – within 15 minutes they were in front. First Alessandro Bastoni rose imperiously to head in following a short corner before Nicolò Barella's stunning first-time strike completed the turnaround.

So far, so frenetic. With their noses in front, Italy calmed things down, passing Albania into submission before hitting fast and hard. Thomas Strakosha kept the underdogs in it, denying the lively Gianluca Scamacca and brilliantly turning Nicolò Fagioli's effort on to the post.

And there was almost a shock finish to match the start, Albania substitute Rey Manaj clipping a late effort just wide, but the holders are up and running.

Vivo Player of the Match: Federico Chiesa (Italy)

Chiesa carried Italy's biggest threat. His speed and dribbling ability created all manner of problems for Albania.
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Paolo Menicucci, Italy reporter

Italy gifted Albania an early lead but they were otherwise excellent in the first half. They swiftly turned things around, and could have scored a couple more. The tempo dropped after the restart but the Azzurri's control merely tightened. Overall it was very good, and left a sense that this new Italy team will only get better as the tournament progresses.

Egi Duro, Albania reporter

The best of starts from Albania but they could not make it count. Despite their early lead, Sylvinho's side struggled to gain a foothold as Italy fought back. Strakosha kept them in it, though, and Manaj was not far away from a sensational equaliser. Not what they wanted but cause for optimism heading into a meeting with Croatia.

Nedim Bajrami celebrates his record-breaking goalUEFA via Getty Images

Reaction

Luciano Spalletti, Italy coach: "Ever since I started coaching, I've been told what matters is winning. No, what matters is playing well. In order for us to win EURO 2024 we have to play good football. We were a bit deep in the first half, and it allowed Albania to use their physicality, to get it into the mixer. We have to keep faith in our style – that's the route forward."

Federico Chiesa, Italy forward: "I'm so happy with our performance. Albania were very tough opponents, they had quantity and quality. In future, we need to finish game off when we have the chance – otherwise, you are always at risk, as we were in the final moments."

Alessandro Bastoni, Italy defender: "We started as badly as we could but we responded well and got back on the right track. These things happen. The important thing is knowing how to react, how to get the game under control. We should have scored more. We have to be more clinical in future."

Sylvinho, Albania coach: "We started well with an early goal, but we couldn't manage the game. The team were so excited after the goal, so enthusiastic, but we failed to deliver a complete performance, especially in the first half. In the second period we managed it better and had that chance from Manaj."

Key stats

• Bajrami's opener inside 23 seconds is the fastest ever goal in a EURO finals, smashing Dmitri Kirichenko's previous mark of 67 seconds set for Russia against Greece in 2004.
• This was the first time Italy have ever scored two goals in the first half of a EURO group match.
• Albania are the first team to score against the Azzurri in the first half of a EURO group match since 2008, ending an 11-game run.
• Italy have won all of their five meetings with Albania.
• The Azzurri are seven matches unbeaten in all competitions (W5 D2).
• Barella is the top scorer in Italy's EURO 2024 squad, taking his tally to nine goals in 51 caps; Chiesa and Stephan El Shaarawy are next up with seven apiece.
• Five of Albania's starting XI play their club football in Italy's Serie A: Elseid Hysaj (Lazio), Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta), Bajrami (Sassuolo), Ylber Ramadani (Lecce) and Kristjan Asllani (Inter).
• Hysaj has played all four of Albania's EURO finals matches.

Line-ups

Italy line-up ahead of kick-offAFP via Getty Images

Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco (Darmian 83); Jorginho, Barella (Folorunsho 90+2); Frattesi, Pellegrini (Cristiante 77), Chiesa (Cambiaso 77); Scamacca (Retegui 83)

Albania: Strakosha; Hysaj, Djimsiti, Ajeti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Bajrami (Muçi 87); Asani (Hoxha 68), Broja (Manaj 77), Seferi (Laçi 68)