Few are talking up Italy’s chance of retaining the European Championship they won at Wembley in 2021. They certainly do not look like the era-defining Spain who were the first team ever to win this competition twice in a row, and only keen students of European football would be familiar with a majority of their squad. Yet here was a night to show why they must not be discounted.
Their greatest asset might be manager Luciano Spalletti, who drew a mature performance from his side, equal parts composure and invention. There are still questions about goalscoring, with talk of Gianluca Scamacca undergoing a Schillaci-esque spontaneous combustion this summer optimistic on this evidence. But there was enough nous and grace throughout the side over 90 minutes to allay fears of a limp title defence.
It was not without an early scare from Albania, who refused to succumb to their assumed status as also-rans in this challenging group. You could not walk down a street in the centre of Dortmund on Saturday afternoon without seeing their red shirt, often paired with the qeleshe, a traditional white felt hat which you would be tempted to call silly until you re-checked the physiques of the people wearing one. Their supporters outnumbered Italy significantly and whatever happens for the rest of their stay in Germany, they will always have the Nedim Bajrami moment.
Federico Dimarco took a throw-in complacently and Bajrami gave it the respect it deserved, pouncing on the loose ball, guiding the ball away from Alessandro Bastoni and beating Gianluigi Donnarumma on his near post.
Tens of thousands of voices reached a tenor they had never previously achieved and Bajrami traversed four obstacles between pitch and fans to celebrate with his people.
The dream lasted for 10 minutes, when Bastoni won an oddly uncontested back-post header and celebrated with a muted but pointed finger to his ear. Six minutes later Nicolo Barella submitted his entry for most aesthetically pleasing finish of the tournament, already a well-contested category just four games in. This one, a sumptuous and opportunistic shinner from a botched clearance, is the sort of punitive show of strength the best teams can call upon when rocked by an upstart.
In a quieter second half it did not look like the stubborn underdogs would have their contractually mandated “one chance”, until the final minute . Then sub Rey Manaj shrugged off the otherwise impressive Riccaro Calafiori and had sight of a moment to match Bajrami. His shot was too close to Donnarrumma and trickled just wide.