Archive review — 16 October 2026: This report concerns a match played on 15 June 2024. We have replaced the earlier running commentary with a source-checked retrospective. The original publication date and address are retained.
Italy opened its Euro 2024 campaign with a 2–1 win over Albania in Dortmund. The result belonged to Italy, but the match’s lasting scoring record belonged to Albania: Nedim Bajrami scored after just 23 seconds.
How the opening minutes changed the result
Bajrami’s early finish put Albania ahead before Italy had settled. Italy then turned the score around through Alessandro Bastoni in the 11th minute and Nicolò Barella in the 16th. Those three goals accounted for the final score; Italy’s comeback was complete within the opening quarter-hour.
These match details are recorded in UEFA’s official Italy–Albania report. They describe this Group B fixture, rather than a later game or the eventual outcome of the tournament.
Why the fastest goal is a separate story
UEFA’s EURO scoring-record reference lists Bajrami’s goal at 23 seconds. The move began with a misplaced throw-in from Italy’s Federico Dimarco, which Bajrami intercepted before beating goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
A speed record describes when a goal happened; it does not tell readers who won. That distinction matters when a short highlight focuses on Albania’s opening strike: the full match result still needs to accompany the clip.
Reading an archived highlight
For readers revisiting this story, three details prevent confusion: the match date, the final score and the competition stage. An old highlight can circulate again without becoming a new match. This page therefore keeps the historical date visible and separates the rapid opening goal from Italy’s subsequent response.
Image disclosure: The accompanying artwork is an original AI-assisted editorial illustration created for this article on 16 October 2026. Its players are symbolic figures. It is not an authentic photograph or a reconstruction of a specific camera frame from the match.
Editorial review: Taaza Khabar. Sources are linked above so readers can inspect the underlying records. For a factual correction, contact the newsroom.
