Italy regain confidence by crushing Turkey

In the twilight of the Timsah Arena in Bursa, the Italian side scored four goals against Turkey, giving the Squadra Azzurra a boost of confidence before its upcoming clash with France. The scorers were Alessandro Bastoni (9'), Davide Frattesi (22'), Michael Kayode (27') and Francesco Pio Esposito (50'), while Barış Alper Yılmaz reduced the deficit for the Turks (47').

Match details

The match, which took place on 28 September 2026, was the second meeting of Group 1 in the UEFA Nations League. In the ninth minute, Bastoni opened the scoring, quickly followed by Frattesi in the 22nd minute, then Kayode in the 27th, leaving Turkey 0-3 before the break.

In the second half, Yılmaz scored the only Turkish goal in the 47th minute, but Esposito restored the Italian lead in the 50th minute, sealing a 4-1 result. The Turkish team, missing Zeki Çelik, struggled to contain the Italian attacks from the start.

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Consequences and outlook

This victory gives Italy its first three points of the competition, placing it third in the group, while Turkey remains winless and occupies the bottom spot, threatened with relegation. The result erases the heavy 0-2 defeat suffered against Belgium a few days earlier.

Roberto Mancini, coach of the Squadra Azzurra, praised the collective performance, calling it a “foundational victory” that could redefine the tone of Italy’s campaign. The players showed new cohesion, especially in the first half‑hour when they netted three goals.

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Italy’s next challenge will be the match against France at the Stade de France, where the regained confidence will be put to the test. Italian supporters are eagerly awaiting this duel, hoping the current momentum continues.