Italy that knows how to react: goes under, then overturns Albania
(Alessandro Bocci, sent to Dortmund) The doubts and torments of the day before melt away in the night, first frightening and then sweet, of the Westfalen stadium. Italy is there. Only a team with soul, play, a precise identity and a good dose of courage can get out of the situation they find themselves in after less than a minute. The initial scare is useful, indeed. A rush of adrenaline that instead of bending us, exalts us. The first victory is a comeback. Albania are tender, especially in midfield and we need to be cautious in our judgements, letting ourselves get caught up in the euphoria would be a serious mistake. But the instant and angry reaction of the Azzurri is a good starting point.
It takes a beastly physique to get back on your feet after the initial shock. Italy went down in just twenty-three seconds due to a wicked throw from Dimarco towards his own area, one of those drops in tension that Spalletti tries to fight with all his strength in training. Bajrami controls the ball well, anticipates Sticks and it strikes Donnarumma. The fastest goal in the history of the European Championship. The one that fills our heads with bad thoughts. The coach fell silent in front of his bench. The stadium packed with Albanians, 100,000 who arrived in Dortmund, half of them dressed in red inside the stadium, seems like a journey to hell.
And instead Italy gets back on its feet. The reaction is that of a mature team. Two goals in the space of five minutes, the draw of Sticks to complete a scheme tested in training, the doubling of Stretcher, fortunately recovered, favored by Dimarco and blessed by Var. The Nazi-Inter, under the pleased eyes of president Marotta, works. There is no more story, at least in the first half. Italy has energy, rhythm, clear ideas, quality in dribbling. In addition to the nets, a pole of Frattesia sliding save by Djimsititwo saves of Strakosha. Absolute dominance.
But there are questions, things to sort out before the crucial exam with the Spain which will tell us, to the end, what we are made of. The initial mistake is serious and also the lack of cynicism, a flaw that the coach had already noticed with the Bosnia and which promptly recurs here too. Games must be closed when the opportunity arises. Otherwise you risk mockery. Manajwho came off the bench, had the opportunity to mock us right in the ninetieth minute and Italy was saved thanks to his providential exit Donnarumma.
Spalletti gets the moves right. The coach chooses the mobile 4-2-3-1 with Calafiori just in his third game, his second as a starter, who continually rises with the confidence of a veteran. Frattesi, positioned in the heart of the trident behind Scamacca, lowers himself to increase the density in the middle of the field. Chiesa, who had struggled in the friendlies, shows off some burning shots, Pellegrini embellishes the maneuver, Barella is everywhere. Albania goes from enthusiasm to depression. The technical midfield with Asllani and Ramadani is replaced by the blue dynamism.
In the second half Italy’s action was less aggressive, more reasoned, even more staid. We always have the ball, but the dribble is sometimes too horizontal and the opportunities decrease drastically. A shot from Chiesa turns after an hour, a strong but central conclusion from Dimarco at the end of a nice percussion. At a certain point we show signs of tiredness. Spalletti brings in Cristante to give substance to the midfield and removes Chiesa and Scamacca, a little exhausted and consequently less lucid. The ending was a bit tight, but in the end the three points are ours and bring us significantly closer to the round of 16. But now we must not stop here.
