Balkan clash: Croatia and Albania meet for the first time at Euro 2024
Croatia's Luka Modric controls the ball during a Group B match between Spain and Croatia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Sunday Alamba]
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Croatia faces Albania in their second match in Group B. Both teams lost their opening matches and can’t afford another defeat if they want to keep hope alive of advancing from the group stage. The match starts at 3 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) in Hamburg. Luka Modric’s Croatia is looking to rebound from a confidence-bruising 3-0 loss to Spain in the group opener. Albania stunned defending champion Italy with the quickest goal in European Championship history but conceded two goals later in the game in the 2-1 loss on June 15.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Albania's Arber Hoxha is chased by Italy's Alessandro Bastoni and Italy's Bryan Cristante, right, during the Group B match between Italy and Albania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Martin Meissner