Albania kicked off their EURO 2024 campaign with a dream start, thrilling a stadium packed with Albanian fans by stunning Italy with a goal almost immediately after kickoff.
In a surprising turn of events, Azzurri defender Federico Dimarco misdirected a throw-in towards his own box, allowing Nedim Bajrami—who plays for the newly-relegated Sassuolo in Italy—to capitalize and score. Bajrami’s strike, finding the net just 22 seconds into the match, became the fastest goal in EURO history and marked Albania’s second in the tournament.
Although Italy quickly equalized through Alessandro Bastoni, Bajrami’s goal remains a memorable moment in tournament football. Nicolò Barella then restored Italy’s lead after 16 minutes, easing the tension from their earlier mishap.
