Italy's early strike leaves Türkiye chasing points in Nations League

Alessandro Bastoni's ninth‑minute strike set Italy on course at Bursa's Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium, where Türkiye fell 4‑1 in the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 clash on 28 September 2026. Rain drummed the pitch as both sides pressed, but the early lead proved decisive.

Scoring and match flow

Italy opened the scoring when Alessandro Bastoni found the net in the ninth minute. Davide Frattesi doubled the lead on 22 minutes, Michael Kayode added a third on 27, and Francesco Pio Esposito completed the tally five minutes into the second half. Türkiye's sole reply came from Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 47th minute.

The side dubbed “Bizim Çocuklar” (“Our Boys”) was marshalled by Real Madrid forward Arda Güler, who urged his teammates forward after the break. Despite their push, they could not overturn the deficit.

Rain fell throughout the encounter, turning the pitch at Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium into a slick surface. The conditions did not deter either side from pressing.

Vincenzo Montella’s Italy secured their first three points after a previous 2‑0 loss to Belgium, while Türkiye remain winless after a 1‑0 defeat to France in their opening game. The Turkish side now travel to Belgium on 2 October for their next group match.

The report was published by Daily Sabah in ISTANBUL on Sep 28, appearing in the News Corner editorial section alongside Politics, Sports and even Basketball, Tennis and Motorsports coverage. It is tagged under War on Terror, PHOTO and Photo galleries, with links to JOBS, ABOUT and PRIVACY pages.

Both nations will look to improve their standing as the Nations League campaign continues. Italy will aim to build on the victory, while Türkiye hope to salvage points against Belgium.