Türkiye struggle as Italy dominate early in Nations League clash

Alessandro Bastoni gave Italy the lead in the ninth minute after a corner was mishandled by Türkiye, slipping the ball into the roof of the net beyond Altay Bayındır, as the rain drummed on the Bursa stadium on Monday night.

The rain‑soaked encounter ended 4‑1 to Italy, leaving Vincenzo Montella’s side still winless after two games, while Türkiye remained on zero points. Italy collected three points after a 2‑0 loss to Belgium, whereas Turkey’s campaign began with a 1‑0 defeat to France.

Early onslaught and first half

Italy doubled its lead in the 22nd minute when Michael Kayode’s effort was saved by Bayındır and Davide Frattesi tapped the rebound home. Five minutes later Kayode, on his senior debut, finished a flowing move with a low shot after Francesco Pio Esposito’s assist, making it 3‑0 before the half‑hour mark.

Türkiye struggled to clear their lines, and the first half finished with the hosts trailing heavily, exposing defensive frailties that would haunt them throughout the match.

The second half began with renewed urgency as Barış Alper Yılmaz struck in the 47th minute, converting Oğuz Aydın’s delivery after Italy’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma failed to intervene. The goal gave the home crowd a brief surge of hope.

Second‑half response and aftermath

Three minutes later Sandro Tonali’s effort hit the post, and Pio Esposito reacted quickest to head the rebound, restoring Italy’s three‑goal cushion. Türkiye continued to press, with Arda Güler increasingly involved in the attack, while Kerem Aktürkoğlu and other substitutes created chances, yet none found the net.

Montella dismissed rumours of his resignation, stating, “No, I believe in the work I am doing,” and added that the team’s second‑half reaction was encouraging despite a poor start.

He also reflected on Turkey’s rapid ascent, noting the side had been in League C two and a half years ago, won League B and now faced the challenges of Nations League A, a level he described as “different”. Montella confirmed that Kenan Yıldız, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Mert Müldür were unavailable, and defended the decision to play Barış Alper Yılmaz and Kerem Aktürkoğlu out of position.

The report, published by Daily Sabah in ISTANBUL on Sep 28, 2026, appeared under the Politics, War and Terror headings and was listed in the News, Corner and Editorial sections, accompanied by a PHOTO and a Photo caption. The footer also displayed links to Jobs, About and Privacy, while the article was tagged across Sports, Football, Basketball, Motorsports and Tennis categories on the UEFA‑focused portal.