Italy bounced back from their opening Nations League defeat with a dominant 4-1 victory over Turkey in Bursa on Monday. Played under heavy rain, the result helps Italy regain momentum in Group A1 following their earlier home loss to Belgium.
Italy established their dominance early, capitalizing on defensive struggles from the hosts. Alessandro Bastoni opened the scoring in the ninth minute, firing home after Zeki Celik deflected a near-post cross into his path. Davide Frattesi added a second goal in the 23rd minute after Turkish goalkeeper Altay Bayindir failed to clear a low cross from Michael Kayode. Shortly after, Kayode found the net himself, driving a shot past Bayindir to extend the lead. The hosts quickly slid three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth. The Inter Milan centre back lunged to fire into the roof of the net. After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio’s Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home.
Turkey provided a brief glimmer of hope early in the second half when Baris Yilmaz scored in the 47th minute after Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn out of position. However, Italy restored their three-goal cushion just five minutes later when Pio Esposito scored on a rebound after Sandro Tonali hit the post. A late effort from Yilmaz was disallowed for offside, ensuring Italy’s comfortable margin.
Following the match, Pio Esposito dedicated his goal to his grandmother, noting the emotional significance of playing alongside his brother Sebastiano, who made his debut for the national team. Manager Roberto Mancini praised his squad’s high-intensity approach, stating the team approached the fixture correctly by maintaining pressure throughout the match. He expressed confidence as the team prepares to face France in Paris this Friday. Staying high up the pitch and playing aggressively throughout the game,” Mancini told Italian television at the final whistle, it was a tough match and we approached it in the right way.
Meanwhile, in Brussels, France secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Belgium, maintaining their lead in the group. The breakthrough arrived in the 88th minute when Michael Olise navigated through the Belgian defense and fired a precise shot into the net. This victory marked the second win for France under the management of Zinedine Zidane. In Brussels, both teams had wasted chances before Michael Olise scampered through the home defence after 88 minutes and drilled a shot inside the post.
Zidane, who was without captain Kylian Mbappe due to a left knee injury sustained in the previous match, praised his team’s defensive bravery against a strong Belgium side. Reflecting on Olise’s performance, Zidane lauded his player’s intuition and talent, emphasizing his satisfaction in working alongside him. Despite the heavy travel schedule and limited rest, Zidane confirmed his pleasure with the team’s overall display. “He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. “The players all put in an excellent performance today.
For Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella, the defeat adds pressure following a difficult period that saw his team exit at the bottom of their group during the summer World Cup, despite a quarter-final appearance at Euro 2024. Italy looks forward to their upcoming encounter at the Stade de France, aiming to capitalize on the fresh energy of their younger squad members.
