Italy Begin Euro 2024 Campaign with Hard-Fought Win

Albania Stun with Early Goal, but Italy Recover for 2-1 Victory

Italy began the defense of their European Championship title with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Albania on Saturday. The Azzurri fell behind to an incredible goal from Nedim Bajrami just 23 seconds into the match, setting a new record for the fastest goal in tournament history.

Albania's Historic Moment

It was a stunning moment for Albania, who had only scored once in their previous appearances at major tournaments. Bajrami's goal sent shockwaves through the Italian defense and sent Albanian fans into raptures.

Italy's Resilient Response

Italy, however, showed their resilience and quality as they fought back to secure the win. Nicolo Zaniolo equalized for the Azzurri in the 21st minute, and Alessandro Bastoni headed in the winner in the 70th minute. It was a hard-earned victory, but it gave Italy a valuable three points in their opening match.