In an exciting Group B match, Albania tied 2-2 with Croatia thanks to a late equaliser from Klaus Gjasula.
Albania opened the competition with the fastest goal at a European Championships, which they followed up with another early score against Italy. Qazim Laci (11), nodding in, received a fantastic ball from Kirstjan Asllani, who was on the right.
They kept up their impressive play in the first half, wasting a number of fantastic chances, while Croatia managed to register no shots on goal.
However, Croatia took the lead thanks to two goals in as many minutes in a better second half. On his 33rd birthday, Andrej Kramaric smoothly tapped home(74), only for his shot to ricochet off Klaus Gjasula of Albania and into the back of the net just two minutes later.
It appeared that Albania would lose by a score of 2-1 again. However, Gjasula earned his redemption when they eventually equalised after two tremendous chances in extra time. The midfielder swept in a beautiful ball from Mario Mitaj.
Both Croatia and Albania earn their first points of the 2024 European Championship, but they are still two points behind Spain and Italy, who square off on Thursday at 8 p.m.
Albania manager Sylvinho: “I am very happy with the team, I think we have deserved [the result]. We fought with heart and it is exactly what represents this nation.
“This point will serve this team for the rest of their life. We are a young national team, this is only the second time being in this competition. We have to enter the pitch and use every moment to fight with heart and to take lessons from Euro.
“This is a game that I will remember all my life.”
Albania goalscorer Qazim Laci: “This result will give us a confidence to move forward, to believe in ourselves. The game with Spain will be more difficult but we will give the maximum to have a victory.”
Albania goalscorer Klaus Gjasula: “2-2 is okay. With a little luck, we could had scored the third one also. We know that the game with Spain is very difficult, but in football everything is possible. If we will play like today, everything can happen.”
Croatia midfielder Luka Sucic: “The disappointment is huge, something like this must not happen to a team like us. We were leading and should have ended this calmly, but this is a lesson to learn.
“The second half was better, it is a direction on how to start against the Italians. I believe in our qualities, I am an optimist, if we play like in the second half we will surely pass this group.”
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic: “This was a difficult match, with two totally different halves. A lot of energy was invested to lead 2-1 and then we get goal in added time. It is difficult to get a goal in the last minute.
“The first half was very bad and the second much better, which is encouraging for the match with Italy, the victory over Italy will take us further. We are still in game, we shall prepare and do all in our power to go on.”
Croatia goalscorer Andrej Kramaric: “In the first half, we couldn’t create anything. In the second half, of course it was a different image. We were much more aggressive, dominant.
“What I want to say is that this is football, this is why everyone loves football. In the last seconds, sometimes you score a goal to win, sometimes you concede. Unfortunately that is what happened to us.”
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