Holders Italy battled back for a hard-earned opening victory after Albania scored the fastest goal in a European Championship match. Nedim Bajrami made history after just 23 seconds when he thrashed a strike into the top right corner but Albania’s jubilation was not long-lasting with Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella firing Italy to victory.
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Spain made an emphatic start to their quest to win a fourth European Championship with an impressive victory over Croatia at Olympiastadion Berlin. First-half goals by Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Carvajal essentially settled the outcome before the break and, although Croatia offered little, this must still go down as a statement win for La Roja.
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Switzerland battled their way to victory over Hungary as they made a winning start to their Euro 2024 campaign at Cologne Stadium. Kwadwo Duah justified his surprise inclusion by boss Murat Yakin as he slotted home his first international goal, before Michel Aebischer doubled Switzerland’s lead on the stroke of half-time.
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Hosts Germany thrashed 10-man Scotland 5-1 on Friday with three goals in the first half to make a triumphant start to their Euro 2024 campaign and lay down a marker with the biggest opening-game margin of victory in the tournament’s history. The Germans, hunting a record fourth European title and first major trophy after a barren decade, scored through Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and a Kai Havertz penalty before Niclas Füllkrug and Emre Can added two more late in the second half.
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored a fine double as a classy Portugal side signed off before Euro 2024 by comfortably beating the Republic of Ireland in Aveiro. Joao Felix opened the scoring for a much-changed Portugal side in the first half, curling home after the hosts caught the Republic out with a short corner. Ronaldo then fired an unstoppable effort into the top corner early in the second half and doubled his tally with a sweeping finish on the hour mark.
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