Italy staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Albania 2-1 in their Euro 2024 group stage encounter at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. The match began with a historic moment as Albania’s Nedim Bajrami scored the fastest goal ever recorded in the European Championship, finding the net just 22 seconds after kickoff. Bajrami’s goal broke the previous record set by Russia’s Dmitri Kirichenko in 2004. Italy’s Federico Dimarco’s error led to the goal, but the Italians quickly regrouped and equalized through Alessandro Bastoni’s header in the 11th minute. Midfielder Nicolo Barella then completed the turnaround with a strike from outside the penalty area to give Italy a 2-1 lead, which they maintained until the final whistle. Italy’s coach, Luciano Spalletti, relied on his team’s star players, including Barella and Federico Chiesa, to navigate one of the tournament’s strongest groups, which also includes Spain and Croatia. The victory sets Italy up as a strong contender to maintain their title, having won the championship previously in 1968 and 2020. Albania, despite the early lead, now faces an uphill battle to advance from the group stage.
Key points
- Albania’s Nedim Bajrami scored the fastest goal in European Championship history at 22 seconds.
- Italy recovered from the early setback to win 2-1 against Albania with goals from Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella.
- Italy’s victory strengthens their position in a tough group that includes Spain and Croatia.
Contradictions👾There is a discrepancy in the reported time of Bajrami’s goal, with sources citing 21 seconds, 22 seconds, 23 seconds, and 41 seconds.
👾Reports vary on whether Italy’s equalizing goal was from a penalty kick or a header.
