Italy responded strongly to their recent struggles on Monday, beating Turkey 4-1 in a performance that offered plenty of encouragement for the Azzurri. After looking short of ideas in their previous match, Italy played with more confidence, moved the ball with purpose and took their chances when they came.
The change was clear from the opening stages. Italy approached the game with greater attacking intent, while the Esposito brothers, Francesco Pio and Sebastiano, were given an opportunity to play alongside Giacomo Raspadori in a new-look attack. The adjustment helped Italy find more freedom in the final third.
Alessandro Bastoni opened the scoring after just nine minutes. The defender found space from a corner and rose above the Turkish defence to send his header over goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. It was an important return for Bastoni after he missed Italy’s previous match through suspension.
Italy continued to control the game through the midfield, with Sandro Tonali and Davide Frattesi helping the visitors dictate the pace. Turkey struggled to create enough pressure, particularly with Arda Guler unavailable to provide his usual creativity and attacking spark.
Davide Frattesi made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute after reacting quickly to a loose ball inside the penalty area. The midfielder kept his composure and fired his effort into the net, giving Turkey an even bigger problem to solve before half-time.
Five minutes later, Italy added a third. Francesco Pio Esposito created the opening with a well-timed pass towards Michael Kayode, who moved into the box before placing his shot inside the right-hand post. It was a memorable moment for Kayode, who was making his senior international debut.
Francesco Pio Esposito Steps Up
Pio Esposito was one of the biggest positives for Italy on the night. The young forward was trusted to lead the attack and looked comfortable against Turkey’s defence, showing the movement and physical presence needed to give Italy another option in the final third.
His involvement was not limited to scoring chances. Esposito also played a part in Italy’s third goal, finding Kayode with a smart pass inside the box. His ability to bring teammates into the game added another dimension to an attack that had struggled to produce enough danger in recent competitive fixtures.
Esposito eventually got his reward in the 51st minute. After Turkey had reduced the deficit, the forward reacted quickest to a rebound inside the area and headed the ball into the net to restore Italy’s three-goal advantage and complete a strong individual display.
The goal also highlighted Esposito’s importance to the new-look Italian attack. At a time when the Azzurri are searching for a more reliable attacking formula, his performance provided another reason for the coaching staff to consider giving him a bigger role in future matches.
Turkey Pull One Back
Turkey started the second half with more urgency and managed to get on the scoresheet in the 47th minute. Oguz Aydin found Baris Alper Yilmaz inside the penalty area, and the forward controlled the ball before beating Gianluigi Donnarumma to make it 3-1.
Italy responded quickly, however, and restored their three-goal lead only four minutes later through Esposito. Turkey continued to search for another goal, but Yilmaz saw a second effort ruled out for offside in the 56th minute.
From there, Italy were able to manage the remainder of the match without serious trouble. The result gave them their first three points in the Nations League and ended a six-month wait for a competitive victory since their World Cup play-off win over Northern Ireland.
For Turkey, the defeat made it two losses in a row. Vincenzo Montella’s team will now look for a response in their upcoming fixtures, while Italy can take confidence from a performance that showed greater attacking freedom and a promising contribution from Pio Esposito.
