Italy secure a comeback win over Albania in EUROS debut

Bajrami’s goal after 23 seconds shocked the Azzurri in Dortmund but two goals between 11’ and 16’, both from Inter players, secured the comeback. Next up is Spain on Thursday in Gelsenkirchen who beat Croatia in the other Group B fixture

Saturday, June 15, 2024

Italy secure a comeback win over Albania in EUROS debut

EURO 2024 could have started terribly for Italy. But in Dortmund, the reigning champions still managed to secure their first three points in Group B: goals from Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolò Barella turned things around against Albania who went ahead after only 23 seconds. The 2-1 result gives Italy a good advantage in the hunt for a spot in the round of 16. On Thursday we face Spain in Gelsenkirchen, who beat Croatia in the other fixture today, in what is already a fight for the top spot. The first and second-placed sides from each group and the four best third-placed teams go through to the round of 16.

Spalletti spoke: “There were many good things in the first half but they have to go somewhere otherwise that’s where it ends. Being able to threaten more than once is among the good aspects: you may or may not succeed. We created the chance to attack their defensive line and then pulled back. We changed our ideas about attacking them too soon. In the second half, they had to do a bit more since they were losing: we on the other hand were sucked into their defensive line. Sometimes we need to be a bit more comfortable in carrying things out and not in the usual ruthless way”.

THE MATCH. Spalletti had Barella back in the midfield and fielded the left-footed duo of Bastoni and Calafiori. Frattesi, Pellegrini and Chiesa lined up behind Scamacca. Italy’s Euros campaign began with a reality check: after 23 seconds, Albania went ahead through Bajrami who exploited a short ball from Dimarco to beat Donnarumma at the front post, taking a small deflection off Bastoni. Italy tried to react right away: Chiesa crossed low from the right, Scamacca on to Pellegrini who shot wide. The equaliser came in the 11th minute after a short corner: Pellegrini crossed from the left and Bastoni headed it in at the back post, his second goal for Italy, another header and another in Germany, two years since his very first (14 June 2022 in Monchengladbach in the Nations League).

Italy made a ‘NerAzzurri’ comeback: in the 16th minute, after a series of rebounds, Barella stunned Strakosha from outside the box. The Sardinian midfielder bagged his 10th goal in an Azzurri shirt, entering double figures to equal the numbers of Carapellese, Cassano, Lorenzo Insigne and Zola. Italy went close to a third at 33’ but Strakosha got a glove to Frattesi’s shot, guiding it into the post. Again from the right, Scamacca had a shot saved by the ex-Lazio keeper.

Less action after the break: the first sharp intake of breath came after a quarter of an hour when a shot from Chiesa went just wide. With just 13 minutes to the end of the game, Spalletti made his first changes, bringing on Cristante and Cambiaso for Pellegrini and Chiesa. Then he also brought on Darmian and Retegui for Dimarco and Scamacca. Albanian fans in Dortmund tried to spur on Sylvinho’s side for a fraw: Mahaj went close to making it 2-2 after controlling the ball well with his chest, attempting to lift the ball over Donnarumma who did well to get his body on it. Italy, after the initial wobble, are back on the right path. And it was ‘Notti Magiche’ that rang out at the BVB Stadion: a good omen.

Mediagallery

Nazionale A

EURO 2024, buona la prima per gli Azzurri: decidono Bastoni e Barella

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ITALY 2-1 -ALBANIA
ITALY (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco (83' Darmian); Jorginho; Barella (93' Folorunsho); Frattesi, Pellegrini (77' Cristante), Chiesa (77' Cambiaso); Scamacca (83' Retegui). Unused subs: Vicario, Meret, Buongiorno, Gatti, Raspadori, Bellanova, Mancini, Zaccagni, Fagioli, El Shaarawy. Coach: Spalletti

ALBANIA (4-3-3): Strakosha; Hysaj, Djimsiti, Ajeti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Bajrami (87' Muçi); Asani (68' Hoxha), Broja (77' Manaj), Seferi (68' Laçi). Unused subs: E. Berisha, Kastrati, Balliu, Gjasula, Mihaj, M. Berisha, Ismajli, Daku, Abrashi, Kumbulla, Aliji. Coach: Sylvinho

Goalscorers: 1' Bajrami (A), 11' Bastoni (I), 16' Barella (I)

Referee: Zwayer (Germany). Assistants: Lupp-Achmüller (Germany). Fourth official: Siebert (Germany)

Notes: booked Pellegrini (R), Calafiori (I), Broja (A), Hoxha (A)

UEFA EURO 2024 - GRUPPO B