When it came time to put its title back into play in Germany, Italy, which had qualified for Euro 2024 with difficulty, raised questions. The road to the final on July 14 is still long, but its start is successful. She won 2-1 against Albania, Saturday June 15, in Dortmund.
Picked up cold by an Albanian goal signed Nedim Bajrami from the first moments, the selection led by Luciano Spalletti could have been disoriented, but it quickly reversed the trend: Alessandro Bastoni, then Nicolo Barella finding the net.
Collective azzurro monopolized the ball throughout the match and it took a decisive intervention from Thomas Strakosha or a post to prevent a third Italian goal in the first half.
The second act was less exciting, the Italians managing their advantage and the Albanians not managing to get a chance, except at the 90e minute. Despite the massive support of their supporters (estimated at 45,000 among the 66,000 seats at the Dortmund stadium), the Eagles lost to stronger opponents.
What you must remember
Author of his team’s second goal, his tenth in the azure jersey, the Sardinian, who plays for club at Inter Milan, was above all a regulator of the Italian midfield, between conservation and direction of the game.
0-1, 1e : Nedim Bajrami intercepts a throw-in from Federico Dimarco in the area, before striking powerfully at the near post.
1-1, 11e : Federico Dimarco plays a corner quickly with Lorenzo Pellegrini. The attacking midfielder sends an uncontrolled cross towards the far post. He found Alessandro Bastoni, who placed a point-blank header from Thomas Strakosha.
2-1, 16e : Billiard shot in the area. After a Scamacca strike blocked by the defense, the ball returned to Nicolo Barella. The Inter Milan midfielder strikes without control and leaves the goalkeeper no chance.
“In the future, we really have to kill the match before the end, because it almost turned into a draw in the last minutes”warned Nicolo Barella after the meeting, in comments broadcast on the beIN Sports channel.
- The number: 22 seconds
This is at most the time it took Nedim Bajrami to open the scoring in favor of the Albanian Eagles. This is the fastest goal in Euro history.
- The turning point of the match: the judgment of Gianluigi Donnarumma
To say that the Italian goalkeeper had a quiet evening would be tempting, but that would be to forget this outing in front of Rey Manaj. The transalpine captain put his body in opposition, touching the ball enough to deflect its course. And thus avoid an equalizer at the very end of the match.
As much as the first Italian period was exciting, the second was much calmer, the Albanians not managing to project themselves into the opposing penalty area.
- Group B ranking
1. Spain 3 points (+3 on goal difference)
2. Italy 3 points (+1)
3. Albania 0 points (-1)
4. Croatia 0 points (-3)