Italy defeats Turkey 4-1 in Bursa with overhauled lineup in Nations League
Italy collected their first points in the UEFA Nations League with a 4-1 away victory over Turkey in Bursa, rebounding from an opening defeat against Belgium.
First-half lead in Bursa
Italy secured a 4-1 victory over Turkey under heavy rain at the Timsah Arena in Bursa during the second round of the UEFA Nations League. Head coach Roberto Mancini altered his lineup following an opening defeat against Belgium in Rome, leaving ten players at the Coverciano training centre. Giacomo Raspadori created the opening chance in the fifth minute by shooting wide following a combination between Nicolò Fagioli and Sandro Tonali. In the ninth minute, Alessandro Bastoni scored from close range under the crossbar after Zeki Celik failed to clear a corner that resulted from Altay Bayindir deflecting a Francesco Pio Esposito effort. Davide Frattesi added a second goal in the 22nd minute, tapping in after Bayindir parried an initial strike from Michael Kayode. Five minutes later, Kayode made it 3-0 on his senior international debut by finishing a run into the penalty box.
Second-half exchange and fourth goal
Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella made three substitutions at halftime to adjust his team's 3-4-2-1 setup, where Arda Guler and Can Uzun had started behind Baris Alper Yilmaz. The changes produced a goal 80 seconds into the second half when Oguz Aydin seized on an Italian defensive error to feed Yilmaz for a finish into an empty net. Italy answered four minutes later in the 50th minute. Tonali struck the post with an effort from outside the penalty area, allowing Francesco Pio Esposito to score on a diving header from the rebound. The header marked Esposito's sixth goal in 11 senior international appearances. Turkey created several attacks in the final 15 minutes, but the Italian defense prevented any further score changes.
- Alessandro Bastoni scores from close range following a corner and a clearance error by Zeki Celik.
- Davide Frattesi scores on a rebound after Altay Bayindir parries Michael Kayode's shot.
- Michael Kayode scores Italy's third goal with a run into the penalty box.
- Baris Alper Yilmaz scores for Turkey following an assist from Oguz Aydin.
- Francesco Pio Esposito scores on a diving header after Sandro Tonali hits the post.
Squad overhaul and Esposito brothers
Mancini retained only three starters from the defeat against Belgium: goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Tonali, and Francesco Pio Esposito. The four-man defense was rebuilt with Giorgio Scalvini partnering Bastoni at centre-back, flanked by debutants Kayode from Brentford and Matteo Ruggeri. Tonali anchored the midfield alongside Fagioli and Frattesi, while Raspadori shifted between the right wing and central spaces to link with the forwards. In attack, Sassuolo forward Sebastiano Esposito started alongside his younger brother Francesco Pio. Their joint appearance was the first time two brothers featured together in Italy's starting lineup since Filippo and Simone Inzaghi played together for 11 minutes 26 years ago.
Standings and upcoming schedule
The result gave Italy three points in the group, moving level with other contenders after both Italy and Turkey entered the evening on zero points. The win also followed a 0-0 draw between France and Belgium in the other group fixture. Nations League rankings directly influence seeding pots for the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, while the bottom two fourth-placed teams across League A face relegation to League B. Italy travels next to Paris to face France, managed by Zinedine Zidane, on Friday 2 October. The Azzurri will then conclude the international window on Monday 5 October by hosting Turkey at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna.
