Italy vs Albania LIVE Score, Euro 2024 updates: ITA 2-1 ALB; Albania scores fastest goal in Euros history; Italy scores two in five minutes

The Albanian defence gives away the ball to the Italians and Scamacca is played through on goal. He tries to chip the ball past the goalkeeper. Thomas Strakosha does well to swipe at the ball with his right hand, sending it into the right post.

Chiesa retrieves the ball and does extremely well to wriggle away from the defenders and put in a cross. No one in blue is there to meet the cross which goes out in the end.

The Italians are passing the ball around in midfield, trying to figure out a way to breach the Albanian defence. 

Chiesa comes down the right once again and cuts back inside to cross the ball into the middle. Lorenzo Pellegrini goes for the spectacular but does not get good contact with the ball. 

Di Lorenzo gives away the ball to Albania. Jasir Asani tries to create an opening through the right wing. Dimarco and Calafiori combines well to put pressure on the Albanian and win back possession.

Jorginho gives up Italy’s good run of possession with an unattended through ball on the left wing, intended for the goalscorer Barella.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is shown the card for bringing down an Albanian player while he was trying to break away on a counter.

Italy is enjoying a great deal of possession in Albania’s half. Chiesa tries to drive down the right wing and put in a cross. Seferi does well to track back and put the ball out for a corner.

Barella scores!! Italy has turned this match around. Dimarco tries to reach a deflected cross on the left side of the penalty box. The Albanian defence clears it away but the ball goes only as far as Nicolo Barella at the edge of the penalty box. He shows incredible technique in hitting the ball on the half-volley to give the Italians the lead.. 

Italy looks like it is moving with authority now. Spalletti’s men were trailing for only 10 minutes. 

Di Lorenzo tries to find Dimarco on the left side of the pitch with a long ball over the top, but it goes out of play.

Italy scores!! Alessandro Bastoni levels it for the defending champion. A corner is played short and a cross is whipped into the far post by Pellegrini. Bastoni rises the highest and directs the ball past keeper Thomas Strakosha.

Corner comes in for Albania. It is cleared away for another corner by Jorginho. The second corner is cleared away as well but Asllani recovers the ball and tries to cross the ball in from the left for the Albanian captain Gjimshiti. He miscues his shot which goes straight up. 

Italy is enjoying a good spell of possession. Di Lorenzo whips in a ball for Fratessi but the Albanian defence clears it away only as far as Chiesa. He drives into the box and tries to play a ball through for Jorginho. It goes out for a goal kick in the end.

Di Lorenzo is pressured and fouled by Seferi on the far side. Italy is under the pump as the Albanian fans raise their voices.

Scamacca backheels a ball that falls to Pellegrini at the edge of the box. He hits it first time but it goes just wide of the right post. 

Albania scores!!! A mistake at the back from Italy and Nedim Bajrami pounces on the ball inside the penalty box. He lashes his foot at it and the ball sails past Donnarumma.

Albania kicks off the match shooting from left to right. Italy’s title defence is underway.

The players are making their way into the BVB Stadion Dortmund. Gianluigi Donnarumma leads the defending champion while Berat Gjimshiti leads Albania. Can Italy begin its title defence on a positive note or will Albania play spoilsport in the “group of death”?

Although Italy is the Defending Champion of this edition of the Euros, its record on the international stage in the last decade hasn’t been as stellar as the Azzurri would have liked.

It failed to qualify in the last two World Cups and was knocked out of the group stage in 2014.

Italy finished third in the previous two Nations League (2021,2023), but this time, it won’t have its ace, Ciro Immobile, up-front.

New coach Luciano Spalletti has opted to sideline the veteran 34-year-old striker despite him being a pivotal player in Italy’s last three major tournaments in which it had fared so well. 

Euro 2024: Can Italy defend its title with inexperienced strikers?

Italy finished third in the previous two Nations League (2021,2023), but this time, it won’t have its ace, Ciro Immobile, up-front.

• 16 Nov 2022: Albania 1-3 Italy (International friendly)
• 09 Oct 2017: Albania 0-1 (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
• 24 Mar 2017: Italy 2-0 Albania (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
• 18 Nov 2014: Italy 1-0 Albania (International friendly)

Played: 4

Italy: 4

Albania: 0

Draws: 0

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Defending champion Italy needs to kick off its Euro 2024 campaign against Albania on Saturday in the same fashion as the last tournament, but its opponents will see this game as the perfect opportunity to make headlines. 

In 2021, Italy began the Euros with a game against Turkey, a side which many had tipped as possible tournament dark horses, but Italy romped to an emphatic 3-0 victory, and went on to top its group winning all three games.

With Spain and Croatia still to come in Group B, Italy won’t expect to have it so easy this time around, and this is the one game where it will be expected to take all three points.

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Euro 2024: Defending champion Italy looks for positive start, Albania out to cause upset

Defending champion Italy needs to kick off its Euro 2024 campaign against Albania on Saturday in the same fashion as the last tournament.

Italy predicted XI (3-4-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matteo Darmian, Alessandro Buongiorno, Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Bryan Cristante, Jorginho, Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi, Federico Chiesa, Gianluca Scamacca

Albania predicted XI (4-2-4): Etrit Berisha, Elseid Hysaj, Ardian Ismajli, Berat Djimsiti, Mario Mitaj, Kristjan Asllani, Ylber Ramadani, Jasir Asani, Nedim Bajrami, Taulant Seferi, Armando Broja

The Italy vs Albania Euro 2024 match will be live telecasted on the Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD in English, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD in Hindi, Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD in Tamil & Telugu and Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD in Bengali & Malayalam.

The match can also be live-streamed on the SonyLIV app and website

The Italy vs Albania Euro 2024 will kick off at 12:30 AM IST, on Sunday, June 16 at the BVB Stadion Dortmund.