Goals from Inter Milan duo Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolò Barella helped Italy overcome an almighty Albanian shock and start their Euros title defence with three points.

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Italy 2-1 Albania
Goals: 0-1 Bajrami (1'), 1-1 Bastoni (11'), 2-1 Barella (16')

Nedim Bajrami is a player Italy should know well given that he's been playing Serie A since 2021, however, just seconds into the game Federico Dimarco tossed the ball straight to the Sassuolo winger in the box from a throw-in. The Albania no.10 collected it with a touch to die for, fooling Alessandro Bastoni and firing in the fasted goal in European Championships history at 24 seconds. Italy looked shellshocked, but the reigning champions settled themselves brilliantly, taking back control of the game and equalising from a corner when Bastoni atoned for his errors by nodding in unmarked. Just five minutes later it was then two as a clearance fell to Nicolò Barella and he flashed the ball in before anyone knew what was happening. Despite the high-octane start, it was then only really Federico Chiesa who kept up the pace, as both teams relaxed into the match. Albania had the better of things in the second 45 minutes, and should have scored in stoppage time, but Italy showed their champion's mentality, closing out a straightforward victory that looked anything but that with 24 seconds on the clock.

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