Italy delivered a much stronger performance against Türkiye, securing a 4-1 win with goals from Alessandro Bastoni, Davide Frattesi, Michael Kayode, and Francesco Pio Esposito.
The Azzurri found themselves at the bottom of Nations League Group A after dropping their first match, but they came back with a commanding first-half showing. Vincenzo Montella’s Türkiye had also lost their opening fixture, and they were forced into multiple lineup changes due to injuries and suspensions.
Italy made eight changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Belgium, handing debuts to Michael Kayode, Matteo Ruggeri, and Sebastiano Esposito. Sebastiano and Francesco Pio Esposito became the first siblings to start together for Italy since 1915, while Nicolò Fagioli appeared for the first time since October 2024, and Bastoni returned from a ban.
Italy seize control with three first-half goals
Pio Esposito nearly broke the deadlock when he latched onto a Frattesi through ball, only for his angled shot to be tipped wide. From the ensuing corner, Zeki Celik’s poor clearance fell to Bastoni, who lashed the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
That goal marked Bastoni’s first outing since his costly red card in the World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Italy then doubled their lead with a fluid passing move. Frattesi, Pio Esposito, and Giacomo Raspadori exchanged a series of one-touch passes before Kayode’s angled attempt was parried into Frattesi’s path at the back post.
Türkiye found it hard to hit back, with Can Uzun wasting a Baris Alper Yilmaz layoff. Instead, Italy crafted another swift passing sequence, as Pio Esposito sent Kayode down the right and the debutant scored at the near post.
The Azzurri had netted three times within the first half-hour of a competitive game for the first time since their World Cup qualifier against Lithuania in September 2021.
Türkiye pull one back after the break
Italy kept creating chances before the interval. Raspadori lifted an effort over after a Sebastiano Esposito back heel, while another move ended with Kayode crossing for Raspadori, whose volley went off target.
Türkiye made three substitutions at half-time and soon cut the deficit. Only 90 seconds into the second half, a cross-field pass surprised Ruggeri and Gianluigi Donnarumma, letting Oguz Aydin race down the right and square the ball for Baris Alper Yilmaz to tap into an empty net.
Italy responded right away. Substitute Nicolò Cambiaghi intercepted a stray pass and pulled the ball back from the left, with Sandro Tonali curling a shot against the far post. Pio Esposito was on hand to head in the rebound and restore Italy’s three-goal cushion.
That goal made Pio Esposito only the second player to score more than five goals for Italy before turning 21, after Giuseppe Meazza.
Italy weather late Türkiye pressure
Türkiye kept pushing, with Giorgio Scalvini beaten by a long ball over the top. Donnarumma did not connect with Baris Alper Yilmaz, but the forward was booked for simulation.
There was another fright when Yilmaz’s angled shot went in off the inside of the far post after a clever pass from Arda Guler. However, Oguz Aydin was offside and interfering with Donnarumma’s attempt to save, so the goal was disallowed.
Italy also had chances to extend their lead. Altay Bayindir made a difficult save from Cambiaghi’s angled strike before smothering the loose ball ahead of Kayode, who was poised to tap in.
Arda Guler then curled a shot wide of the far top corner, while Kerem Akturkoglu squandered a big chance from six yards after Guler had dribbled past three players inside the penalty area.
Italy ultimately held on for a convincing 4-1 victory, completing a much-needed response after their opening Nations League defeat.