Italy recover to beat Albania after historic early goal

Nicolo Barella ensured defending champions Italy launched their Euro 2024 campaign with victory over Albania despite conceding the fastest goal in European Championship history.

Nedim Bajrami fired the Albanians ahead after just 23 seconds at the BVB Stadion in Dortmund, in the process eclipsing Dmitri Kirichenko's strike 67 seconds into Russia’s 2-1 win over Greece in 2004.

However, the Italians quickly levelled through defender Alessandro Bastoni before Barella secured a 2-1 Group B win which was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests, with most of the drama coming inside the opening 16 minutes.

Indeed, had it not been for the heroics of Brentford goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, who produced a string of fine saves, Italy might have prevailed significantly more comfortably.

Albania, ranked 66th in the world, could hardly have got off to a better start as Bajrami intercepted Federico Dimarco’s ill-judged throw-in back towards Bastoni before taking a controlling touch and smashing a right-foot shot into the roof of the net.

Italy’s response was immediate and concerted with Lorenzo Pellegrini firing just wide from Gianluca Scamacca’s clever flick-on, and they were back on terms with 11 minutes gone when Pellegrini and Dimarco worked a short corner and Bastoni powered home a far-post header from the former’s cross.