Italy’s Nicolo Barella celebrates scoring their second goal with Riccardo Calafiori and teammates
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Italy recovered from conceding the quickest goal in European Championship history — after just 23 seconds — to open its title defense with a 2-1 win over Albania on June 15.
Nedim Bajrami thrilled a heavily pro-Albanian crowd inside Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion by pouncing on a throw-in by Italy left back Federico Dimarco that failed to reach teammate Alessandro Bastoni, before taking a touch and smashing a rising shot inside the near post.
Within 16 minutes, the Italians were ahead as Bastoni headed in Lorenzo Pellegrini’s cross in the 11th then Nicolo Barella struck home a first-time shot from the edge of the area.
Barella was one of five survivors from the team that started for Italy in the penalty-shootout win over England in the 2021 European Championship final.
Spain beat Croatia 3-0 in Group B’s other game on Saturday.
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