A horror film start canceled out by a reaction from European champions. After conceding the fastest goal in its history and in the European Championships – just 23″ – Italy overturned Albania in a few minutes and took the first match of Euro 2024, showing great courage, substance and technique in one stadium, that of Dortmund, colored almost entirely in the red of the Eagles national team.
Albania lasts practically 23 seconds, those of Bajrami’s instant goal launched into the goal from Dimarco’s crazy throw-in. Then there are only the Azzurri who take it back in a quarter of an hour, with a nice header from Bastoni and the 2-1 scored by Barella which dispels all doubts about his condition during the days of the training camp in Iserlohn. From here on, Spalletti’s boys came close to scoring the third goal several times, while the red eagles almost never flew near Donnarumma except in a heart-pounding final, when on two occasions they made the Azzurri tremble. Here are three golden points to get off to a great start to Group B where Spain, their next opponent on 20 June in Gelsenkirchen, is already causing fear with a 3-0 win over Croatia.
Spalletti confirms the lineup planned the day before: Riccardo Calafiori at the center of the defense and Gianluca Scamacca at the center of the attack, with Barella in midfield together with Pellegrini and Frattesi. Sylvinho places Broja and Seferi in front and chooses Strakosha in goal behind the ‘Italians’ Dmjinsiti and Hysaj. Tragic start for Italy which conceded the fastest goal in the history of the European Football Championships. Sensational blunder by Dimarco who badly beats the lateral foul, giving the ball in the area to Bajrami, with a strong right-footed shot to the near post that beats Donnarumma. Nightmare start for the Azzurri who, however, immediately react to the disadvantage. Chiesa goes to the right, low cross to the center of the area for Scamacca who with a veil frees all alone for Pellegrini, a right-footed shot from the Roma number 10 which ends up just wide.
Ten minutes and Spalletti’s boys equalise: corner taken short with Dimarco touching for Pellegrini, brushstroke to the far post which finds all alone Bastoni who doesn’t even have to jump and heads it into the far post. Having reached 1-1, the Azzurri chain together and immediately turn it around with Barella: a deflected cross from the right that finds Dimarco at the far post, the ball is backwards but the number 3 manages to touch it towards the Inter midfielder on the edge of the area: right-footed beautiful volley from the number 18 who scores close to the post, leaving the Albanian goalkeeper stationary.
With Italy in the lead, Albania starts again and Pellegrini gets the first yellow of the tournament by knocking out Broja launched on the counterattack. The Azzurri don’t stop, even coming close to making it 3-1 after half an hour: a great ball from Scamacca, which finds its way onto the right of Frattesi’s area, a touch underneath from the Azzurri number 7 which is decisively touched by Strakosha, the the ball hits the post and returns to the field. A few minutes and it’s Scamacca’s turn who is one step away from the 3-1 which didn’t arrive in the first half despite the constant and dangerous initiative of Spalletti’s team.
The second half began as the first 45 minutes ended with the constant initiative of the Azzurri who were getting closer and closer to the third goal. Chiesa and Scamacca try again, the minutes pass and the game falls asleep. Italy maintains the initiative, risking practically nothing, also finding it difficult to find space in attack but forcing the Albanians into a few too many fouls. With a quarter of an hour to go the first changes for the Azzurri, Cambiaso for Chiesa on the right wing and Cristante for Pellegrini in midfield. Then here is Retegui for Scamacca and Darmian for Dimarco.
Albania comes close to equalizing in the final with Manaj, there is also an invasion of the pitch by an Eagles fan, but the result does not change, and the match ends with a 2-1 which is tight for the Azzurri but is worth three points fundamental to best prepare for the super challenge with the Red Furies of Spain. The celebration, after the red one of the Albanians in the afternoon, is all tricolour.
ITALY-ALBANIA 2-1
ITALY (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma 6.5, Di Lorenzo 6, Bastoni 7, Calafiori 6.5, Dimarco 5.5 (38′ st Darmian sv), Jorginho 6, Barella 7.5 (47′ st Folorunsho sv), Chiesa 7 (31 ′ st Cambiaso sv), Frattesi 6.5, Pellegrini 6.5 (31′ st Cristante sv), Scamacca 6 (38′ st Retegui). (12 Vicario, 26 Meret, 4 Buongiorno, 6 Gatti, 17 Mancini, 15 Bellanova, 21 Fagioli, 20 Zaccagni, 22 El Shaarawy). Coach: Spalletti 6.5
ALBANIA (4-3-3): Strakosha 6, Hysaj 5, Ajeti 5.5, Djimsiti 6, Mitaj 5.5, Asllani 5.5, Ramadani 5.5, Bajrami 6.5 (42′ st Muci sv), Asani 5.5 (23′ st Hoxha 6), Broja 5 (31′ st Manaj 6.5), Seferi 5 (23′ st Laci 6). (1 Berisha, 12 Kastrati, 2 Balliu, 25 Aliji, 24 Kumbulla, 13 Mihaj, 22 Abrashi, 16 Medon Berisha, 18 Ismajli, 8 Gjasula, 19 Daku). All.: Sylvinho 5.5
Referee: Zwayer (Ger) 6.
Networks: in pt 1′ Bajrami, 11′ Bastoni, 16′ Stretcher.
Note: corners 5-3 for Italy. Recovery time: 3′ and 5′. Booked: Pellegrini, Calafiori, Broja and Hoxha for foul play.
