Italy vs Albania LIVE RESULT: Defending champs survive scare to get campaign off to winning start in group of death
DEFENDING champions Italy got their Euro 2024 campaign off to a winning start - despite suffering an almighty early scare.
Group B is arguably the toughest in the competition and the Azzurri would have been keen to get three points on the board with games against Spain and Croatia coming up.
Albania tore up the script just 23 SECONDS into the match, Nedim Bajrami scoring from a tight angle, but Alessandro Bastoni levelled and then Nicolo Barrella put Italy back in charge within 20 minutes.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST
- TV channel/ live stream: BBC One
- Italy XI: Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, Bastoni, Dimarco, Barella, Jorginho, Frattesi, Pellegrini, Chiesa, Scammaca.
- Albania XI: Strakosha, Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj, Asllani, Ramadani, Bajrami, Asani, Seferi, Broja.
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Italy 2-1 Albania
54. Bastoni is back up, the match is back underway, and Jermaine Jenas is back to being irritating on BBC co-commentary.
Italy 2-1 Albania
52. Asllani takes aim with the set-piece and sends a rocket of a shot straight into the face of Bastoni, wiping the Italian defender out.
Referee Felix Zwayer immediately pauses play so that the centre-back can receive medical attention.
Italy 2-1 Albania - Calafiori and Broja yellow cards
50. A slick move upfield from Albania has the Italians worried.
Broja and Asani exchange passes, and when the former goes for the return, he is wrestled to the ground by centre-back Calafiori.
It's a free-kick to Albania in a dangerous position but, before it can be taken, there is a VAR check for a potential red card against Broja for throwing his arm at Calafiori as both players went to ground.
The decision comes through, and the Chelsea striker is booked.
Italy 2-1 Albania
48. Frattesi is seeing plenty of action at the start of the second period.
In possession he sets off on a crossfield run across the pitch, then finds Pellegrini with a good pass, and to cap it all off, gets in the way of Scamacca's goalbound strike.
Kick-off - Italy 2-1 Albania
46. There are no changes to report as Italy restart this Group B encounter in Dortmund.
The good news for the Azzurri is that they have managed to make it through the first 23 seconds of THIS half without conceding.
First half facts and figures
The Azzurri attempted more than 400 passes in the first half.
It could be considered a classic throwback to some 1990s' Serie A action if it weren't for the 13 shots that have come with it.
Half-time - Italy 2-1 Albania
And breathe.
What a ridiculous half of football. Albania ahead inside 23 seconds, and then under siege by the Italians.
At the BVB, goals from Bajrami, Bastoni and Barella ensure that the Azzurri lead 2-1 at the break.
Italy 2-1 Albania
45+2. Pellegrini whips a cross in between two defenders the right and finds Scamacca, soaring through the air...
...and heading wide.
It actually comes off the former West Ham man's shoulder, and will go down as a big chance.
Italy 2-1 Albania
45. The fourth official indicates three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Albania will be happy to get in just the one goal behind.
Italy 2-1 Albania
43. Albania win a free-kick midway inside the Italy half, and their fans rise as one to await the situation.
Sylvinho's side go long with it, working it back to Asani 25 yards from goal.
The forward takes a touch inside to open up a shooting opportunity and unleashes a curler wide of Donnarumma's goal.
Italy 2-1 Albania
41. The nerds at Opta point out that the 16 goals scored in the opening four matches of Euro 2024 are the most netted at this point of a European Championship or World Cup since Euro '76 (19).
Italy 2-1 Albania
39. Strakosha comes to Albania's rescue again!
This time Pellegrini is the provider, playing in Scamacca with a quick and clever pass, only for the striker's drive to be blocked at the near post.
Italy 2-1 Albania
37. Albania started this game at high octane pace.
Not only did they score the quickest European Championship goal ever, they also recorded three shots in the opening seven minutes.
But that seems a long time ago now as they are half hour without an attempt at Donnarumma.
Italy 2-1 Albania
35. The Italians are playing keep ball now, and the possession stats are rising by the second.
Luciano Spalletti's men have now been responsible for 70% of the play, and it's beginning to silence the impressive Albanian support.
Italy 2-1 Albania
33. Davide Frattesi dinks over Thomas Strakosha...
...and on to the post!
Another lovely flick from Gianluca Scammaca sets the Inter man away, but he's unable to find the net at the near post.
In fact, replays show it's an excellent save from Strakosha, who turned the ball on to the woodwork with his fingertips.
Italy 2-1 Albania
32. Albania are camped inside their own defensive third, and seem intent in dropping into a back six whenever Italy pour forward.
It's inviting more and more pressure by the minute.
Italy 2-1 Albania
30. Pellegrini attempts an acrobatic bicycle kick following good work on the right, but succeeds only in skewing it into the nearest defender.
He probably could have just headed it, to be fair.
Italy 2-1 Albania
27. Finally the tempo is taken down a notch, and Italy are controlling the contest.
And not only are they dominating the ball, they are also working so hard out of possession, evidenced by the determination shown by Di Lorenzo to slide tackle out for a throw-in.
Italy 2-1 Albania
25. It's notable just how open the Italians are on the rare occasions that Albania gain possession and step on to the front foot.
Bonucci and Chiellini will be spinning in their...erm...retirement.
Italy 2-1 Albania
23. We've just gone past the midway point of the first half and there's barely been a chance to take a breath.
We've had ten shots at goal, an average of just under one every two minutes.
Italy 2-1 Albania - Pellegrini yellow card
21. The first card of the contest is shown to Lorenzo Pellegrini.
The Roma midfielder is cautioned for chopping down Armando Broja as the striker threatened to tearaway down the left on the counter.
Italy 2-1 Albania
18. There was a short pause after that goal had been scored for a VAR check following the suggestion that Dimarco may have committed a foul in the build-up.
It was quickly dismissed by the video officials though.
Italy 2-1 Albania
16. Now Italy lead - and it had been coming!
Albania fail to deal with a ball bouncing around their penalty area, and when Jasir Asani steers a right wing cross straight to Nicolo Barella outside the penalty area, he returns it with interest.
Head down, the Inter Milan ace lets fly with a screamer that tears past a stranded Thomas Strakosha and almost rips the net.
It's Barella's 10th goal for his country, and each of the previous nine have been scored in eventual Azzurri victories.
Turnaround!
Italy 1-1 Albania
13. I don't think many followers of these two countries in qualifying would have been expecting many goals this evening.
Well, we've had two already.
If it continues like this, it could end up 9-9 - which may well help my wife out in the prediction league at her work.
