Italy-Albania, a match valid for the first day of Group B, ended with a score of 2-1 thanks to goals from Bajrami, Bastoni and Barella. The match, played at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, was refereed by the German Felix Zwayer. With this result, Italy reaches Spain with 3 points in the Group.
Below are the votes for the protagonists of the challenge.
ITALY’S REPORT CARDS
Gianluigi DONNARUMMA 6.5: He immediately concedes a goal, innocently, then remains inactive for almost 89 minutes. He saves everything on Manaj in the 90th minute.
John DI LORENZO 6: Attentive in Albania’s rare offensive actions, perfect in fueling the Italian pressure by supporting Chiesa on the right.
Alessandro BASTONI 6.5: He late realizes Dimarco’s intention to serve him on the throw-in. That moment of uncertainty favors Bajrami who scores the 1-0. He scored the equalizer 10 minutes later shock of the goal conceded and watches over Borja together with Calafiori for the entire match.
Riccardo CALAFIORI 7: Statuary. He wins many tackles, aerial and otherwise, and tries to limit Broja even with strong methods. He is Italy’s added defensive playmaker when he breaks free and crosses the midfield. Only one flaw at the end when he was overtaken by Manaj.
Federico DIMARCO 5.5: Error from the blue pencil after 22″ of the European Championship. He gives the ball to Bajrami directly from the throw-in, contributing to the Albanian lead goal. He recovers quickly, demonstrating solidity but the distraction could have cost him dearly (from 82 Matteo DARMIAN sv)
JORGINHO 6.5: He is predictable in some solutions when he decides to play vertically but one is safety in the short game for his teammates. A snake charmer when he decides to put the game to sleep.
Nicolò BARELLA 7.5: Difficult to contain. The frustrated right-footed shot from the edge “Javier Zanetti-style” for the 2-1 is worth the price of the ticket and also the price of the trip to Dortmund. Being generous, he adds to the menu a careful management of possession and a refined vision of the game (he practically talks with Dimarco with his eyes closed) (since ’90 Michael FOLORUNSHO sv)
Davide FRATTESI 6.5: A flash on the half hour mark when he attempts a lob which hits the post. There are many insertions into the area surprising the Albanian defenders. Despite this, he is the player most called upon by Spalletti but as we know, perfection is not of this world.
Lorenzo PELLEGRINI 6.5: Confabulate with Dimarco on a corner before exchanging short and brushing the radio-controlled cross for Bastoni’s head (from 77′ Bryan CRISTANTE 6 – Enter to give substance to the final part of the match)
Federico CHURCH 6: Plays wide to the right, aiming for Mitaj when he decides to center and attempt a lunge into the area. He goes down after a foul which leaves him sore until the substitution (from 77′ Andrea CAMBIASO 6 – Precious in the final in suffering a foul and slowing down the verve of the Albanians)
Gianluca SCAMACCA 6: Boa in the middle of the area, a mover of balls for his teammates who come in from all sides, making Strakosha’s evening difficult. Drop to distance (from 82′ Mateo RETEGUI sv)
Coach Luciano SPALLETTI 7: Sing the anthem at the top of your lungs before diving into the game. He feels it, and rightly so considering that it is his debut at the European Championship. The game is there, the result too. There’s no time to even worry about the goal conceded. The usual problem remains of creating a lot and realizing little which must be resolved in view of the more difficult commitments, but there is something to smile about in this Italian debut.
Federico Chiesa
Photo Credit Getty Images
ALBANIA’S REPORT CARDS
Thomas STRAKOSHA 6.5: He can do little about the goals conceded. Bastoni’s header is close range while Barella’s right-footed shot is unstoppable. He grazes Frattessi’s lob just enough to avoid the 3-1
Elseid HYSAJ 5.5: On the corner kick that leads to 1-1, leaves too much freedom to Pellegrini who can cross for Bastoni’s header. Dimarco initially puts him in difficulty but in the end he is fresher.
Berat DJIMSITI 6.5: The best of the Albanian rearguard. Providential in anticipating Scamacca in the quarter of an hour, avoiding the blue attacker’s tap in.
Arlind AJETI 6: Together with Djinsiti he tries to limit the blue attackers in every way. Little style but a lot of substance.
Mario MITAJ 5: He always gets into trouble when he is targeted by Chiesa. He lets himself be surprised too many times, appearing lost but improves as the match progresses.
Kristjan ASLLANI 5.5: He lets Frattesi escape who surprises him from behind and is pardoned by the post. Too much freedom left to opponents when covering.
Ylber RAMADANI 5.5: Playing against the Italian midfield is not easy, especially on evenings where Jorginho hides the ball and Barella seems inexhaustible. He does what he can without affecting.
Nedim BAJRAMI 6: Smart to understand the direction of Dimarco’s throw. He is in the right place at the right time to scratch Donnarumma with an unstoppable right-footed shot that makes it 1-0 (from 86′ Ernest MUCI sv)
Jasir ASANI 5: He tries a couple of times, from outside and in the area but fails to worry Donnarumma too much (from 68′ Arber HOXHA 5.5 – A little better than Asani but he doesn’t play a transcendental match)
Armando BROJA 4.5: Complex evening in which he sees the door with binoculars. Isolated in front, little assisted by his teammates and marked without concessions by Calafiori (from 76′ Rey MANAJ 6 – More dynamic than Borja, he has the goal to make it 2-2 in the 90th minute
Taulant SEFERI 5: He is overtaken by Bastoni who jumps on his head to score the 1-1 goal, he can hardly get past his own half of the field, pressured by the Azzurri wingers (din the 69th minute Qazim LACI 5.5 – He tries to run after the balls but he too falls into the pattern of blue passes. A lot of will and little else)
All. SYLVINHO 5.5: Having found the immediate goal, Albania defended itself for the rest of the match. Few ideas, mostly made up of long throws looking for someone forward. The idea however was to defend and start again. Given how Italy played, having kept the match in the balance until the 90th minute was already an excellent result in itself.
Spalletti: “Yes to video games, but not until 3-4 in the morning”
