How Italy battled back to beat Albania in Euro 2024 Group B match.

How Italy battled back to beat Albania in Euro 2024 Group B match.

Italy Shakes Off Early Shock to Defeat Albania in Euro 2024 Opener Italy's Euro 2024 title defense got off to a heart-stopping start, then a dominant finish, as they defeated Albania 2-1 in a dramatic Group B encounter. The nightmare began for the Azzurri just 23 seconds in. A defensive miscalculation by Federico Dimarco allowed Nedim Bajrami to unleash a screamer into the top corner, marking the fastest goal in European Championship history. The stunned silence from the Italian faithful in Dortmund was quickly replaced by a raucous Albanian celebration. However, Italy, under new manager Luciano Spalletti, showed their champion's mettle. They didn't crumble. Instead, they ramped up the pressure. The equalizer arrived in the 11th minute through a well-worked short corner. Lorenzo Pellegrini's inswinging delivery found the head of Alessandro Bastoni, who planted it past the Albanian keeper. The fightback wasn't over. Just five minutes later, Nicolo Barella took matters into his own hands. He unleashed a powerful drive from 20 yards out that left the Albanian netminder with no chance. Italy had turned the tide in a whirlwind 10 minutes. From there, it was all about controlling the game. Italy dominated possession, keeping Albania at bay. While they couldn't extend their lead in the second half, they saw out the match comfortably. The win was a sigh of relief for the Azzurri faithful, but also a reminder of their fighting spirit. This victory sets the stage for a thrilling Group B. With Spain also winning their opener convincingly, Italy finds themselves right in the mix for the knockout stages. The challenge now is to build on this performance and translate their dominance into a strong run in the Euros.