first really good match; knight sacrifice question

Hi everyone, I just started taking up chess a few weeks ago (5 or 6) and I’ve played some good matches in the past, but in terms of coming in with a strategy, this is the first time I’ve had the inclination to do so. My thought was if I played white, I’d play the Ruy Lopez. Obviously the opening moves didn’t let me do that, so I made a decision to adjust to the Italian game. I’m doing so, I wanted to force my opponent to stay in the center of the board (would have sacked the light bishop to prevent the castle), and then my thought was to lead a charge with the queen. The game played out pretty similarly, although some of my opponents moves just didn’t make sense (a beginner as well that had a lower rating than me; but I have lost to people in that rating range before). Anyway, I’m playing white and I made a decision to sac the knight on 4.Nc3. This I did to open up the dark bishop for a move against the queen. I did think about 4. E3 to force the retreat, but I felt it was a better move to get the knight on e4 out of the game before launching the attack, but the computer analysis is telling me I should have played d4. What’s your take, was this is a sacrifice / what’s the better move here in the future?

[Site "Chess.com iPhone"]
[Date "06/27/2019 11:23PM"]
[White "iggywrite (569)"]
[Black "Name Redacted (464)"]

1.e4 {15:09} d6 {15:04} 2.Nf3 {15:16} Nf6 {14:44} 3.Bc4 {14:58} e6 {14:23} 4.O-O {14:51} Nxe4 {14:20} 5.Nc3 {14:37} Nxc3 {14:04} 6.dxc3 {14:45} Rg8 {13:58} 7.Bg5 {14:06} f6 {13:52} 8.Bh4 {14:01} b6 {13:30} 9.Nd4 {12:59} c5 {13:15} 10.Bxe6 {12:07} Bxe6 {12:29} 11.Nxe6 {12:09} Qd7 {12:30} 12.Re1 {11:50} h6 {12:01} 13.Qg4 {10:48} g5 {11:40} 14.Bg3 {10:35} Na6 {11:18} 15.h3 {10:28} c4 {11:19} 16.Nxf8+ {9:44} Kxf8 {11:14} 17.Qxd7 {9:43} Rg7 {11:14} 18.Qc6 {8:55} Rb8 {11:06} 19.Bxd6+ {8:49} Kg8 {10:42} 20.Bxb8 {8:48} Re7 {10:38} 21.Rxe7 {8:51} {White Wins}

Sorry not sure how to share the board via png or whatever is used, and forgive the typos (typing on a touch screen sucks)

 

It is an okay game, well done for the win. I noticed that after you played Re1 and he played h6, you could’ve won the queen for around 5 moves after Nc5 with a discovered check. This would’ve been a better way to win the queen without losing material.