Italy swiftly overcomes momentary mortification following brief 23-second incident
Italian Squad Gears Up to Recreate "The Enchanting Nights of 2021": Captain and Goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma. Playing against Albania in Dortmund, where Italy shattered Germany's World Cup aspirations in the 2006 semifinals, the Italian team faced a challenging away game. The arena resounded with the shrieks of "Shqiperia" (Albanian for Albania) well before kickoff. When Bajrami capitalized on a mishandled throw-in by Federico Dimarco to take the early lead, the Albanian spectators erupted in celebration.
The defending champions, who had missed out on the World Cup 2022 and had a shaky qualification, soon regained their composure and response with a vengeance. Alessandro Bastoni headed in from a corner at the second post, and shortly after, Nicolo Barella struck a dry shot from the penalty area. The Italians, who weren't among the top contenders, dominated the match from then on, allowing the underdog to struggle. Davide Frattesi's shot hit the Albania goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha's post (33%).
For ten Albanian spectators, it was a memorable game.
Italian Team Stumbles in European Championship Opener: A disastrous start for Italy as they found themselves trailing 1-0 against Albania after just 23 seconds due to a catastrophic blunder. A swift recovery followed for the Italians.
Gianluigi Donnarumma expressed relief towards the audience following his team's comeback, while tens of thousands of Albanian fans cheered on their courageous underdogs. The defending champions, Italy, faced a 2:1 (2:1) loss in Dortmund against Albania in the first game of the tournament. Despite the early shock, the Albanian Bajrami's record-breaking goal in just 23 seconds was brief-lived.
The Italians, led by Alessandro Bastoni (11%) and Nicolo Barella (16%), managed to turn the match around against their supposed easiest opponent in Group B, which also includes Spain and Croatia. Bajrami had previously dethroned the Russians Dmitri Kiritschenko, who had scored in the round of 16 in 2004 after 67 seconds, as the fastest European Championship goalscorer. "We should have scored more goals. As long as it's only a goal difference, it's risky," said Barella: "Albania was good, but we deserved to win." An improvement is required before facing Spain, who had left a strong impression in a 3:0 win against third-placed Croatia.
Referee Felix Zwayer, who had been appointed despite controversy, refereed the match competently.
"We aim to resurrect the bewitching nights of 2021," declared captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Playing against Albania in Dortmund, where Italy had dampened Germany's World Cup hopes in the 2006 semifinals, the Italian team faced a tough away game. The shrill "Shqiperia" (Albanian for Albania) echoed throughout the stadium prior to kickoff. The Albanian celebration peaked for a brief moment when Bajrami capitalized on a mishandled throw-in by Federico Dimarco to take the early lead.
The two-time champion team woke up from its slumber and responded aggressively. Alessandro Bastoni scored from a corner at the second post, and shortly after, Nicolo Barella struck a shot from the penalty area. The Italians that weren't among the top favorites, after missing the World Cup 2022 and having a shaky qualification, dominated the match from then on, allowing the underdog to struggle. Davide Frattesi's attempt hit the Albania goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha's post (33%).
For ten Albanian spectators, it was a remarkable match.
For ten Albanian professionals playing in Italy, it was a significant encounter. The team, coached by the Brazilian Sylvinho, who was a successful player for FC Barcelona and Arsenal, rarely initiated offensive plays in their second round participation since 2016, even after the break. Italy seized control of the game but missed the decisive moment first. Italy appeared comfortable at times, and Spaletti stated, "We have observed many promising things - but only partially." "It could have gone incorrect a few times," Spaletti added.
Before the game, the Dortmund police thwarted an ambush on Albanian fans by Italian hooligans who were carrying "dangerous items." According to official reports, around 50 "high-risk fans" were looking to instigate conflict with an Albanian group.
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After the disgraceful 23-second goal by Albania, the Italian team vowed to make EM history by turning things around. Despite Albania's early lead, Italian player Davide Frattesi came close to equalizing, hitting the post seconds before half-time.
In the aftermath of the shocking 2:1 loss to Albania, Gianluigi Donnarumma and the Italian team reflect on the seconds that led to their Emblematic Museum (EM) history disgrace, aiming to learn and improve before their next match against Spain.
