Luciano Spalletti’s Italy extended their impressive streak of going unbeaten in opening matches at the UEFA European Championship to nine games, as the defending champions edged out Albania 2-1 in Dortmund.
Italy faced their first tournament in 18 years without defensive stalwarts Giorgio Chiellini or Leonardo Bonucci, and their absence was felt almost immediately. Albania took a shock lead just 23 seconds into the match, the quickest goal in Euros history. A defensive mix-up between Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni allowed Nedim Bajrami to seize the loose ball and fire past Gianluigi Donnarumma at the near post.
The Azzurri quickly regrouped, shaking off the early surprise. Ten minutes later, Alessandro Bastoni atoned for his earlier error by heading in the equalizer unchallenged from close range, leaving Albanian goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha helpless. Italy's momentum continued, and just five minutes later, Nicolò Barella showcased his class with a stunning half-volley from 20 yards, giving Italy a 2-1 lead.
The second half saw Italy adopt a more conservative approach, possibly to conserve energy for their upcoming clash with Spain. Giovanni Di Lorenzo came close to adding a third for Italy with a back-post header, only for Elseid Hysaj to clear off the line with a smart piece of defending.
Albania, managed by Sylvinho, sought to turn the tide through substitutions, and they nearly succeeded. Rey Manaj found himself one-on-one with Donnarumma, but the Italian goalkeeper made a brilliant save to deny the Albanian forward.
While Italy’s performance was not flawless, the victory provided a solid start to their campaign. They now prepare for a crucial match against Group B leaders Spain on Thursday. Albania, despite their promising start, will need to regroup ahead of their next challenge against Croatia in four days' time.
Federico Chiesa, with his tireless work rate and creative flair, was named man of the match, contributing significantly to Italy's attacking play and helping to secure the vital win.