Italy player ratings vs Belgium: Pio Esposito scores and misses a penalty as Roberto Mancini's Azzurri miss out on Nations League quarter-finals

Italy needed only a draw in Brussels to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, but a 4-1 defeat to Belgium sent them from first to third in Group A1.

Francesco Pio Esposito gave the Azzurri the lead in the 11th minute, stretching to turn in Michael Kayode's cross for his 10th goal in 15 caps. The advantage did not last long. Maxim De Cuyper equalised in the 15th minute, Nathan Ngoy turned in a corner in the 22nd and Jeremy Doku danced through the Italy defence to make it 3-1 in the 26th, with Charles De Ketelaere setting up two of the three.

Gianluigi Donnarumma kept the score down with a string of saves, and De Ketelaere also hit the bar, but Diego Moreira added a fourth in the 80th minute. Pio Esposito had the chance to reduce the deficit in stoppage time, only for Senne Lammens to save his penalty after VAR spotted a Nicolas Raskin handball.

Belgium finished with 22 shots to Italy's 12 and go through with group winners France, while the Azzurri finish third but are safe from relegation.

Here are the Italy player ratings from the King Baudouin Stadium...

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10): Made six saves to stop the scoreline getting even heavier, denying Kevin De Bruyne three times, including a superb stop onto the post in the 43rd minute, and keeping out a fierce Doku strike. Had little chance with the goals, but was booked for dissent in the 81st minute as frustration set in.

Michael Kayode (6/10): Delivered the cross for Pio Esposito's opener and caused problems with his long throws early on. Spent much of the night trying to stop Doku, though, giving away three free-kicks against the Manchester City winger.

Giorgio Scalvini (6/10): Helped Kayode deal with Doku in the first half, but became the second Italy player booked for bringing down the winger in the 51st minute. Made way for Alphadjo Cisse on 62 minutes as Mancini went in search of goals.

Alessandro Bastoni (6/10): Pushed on to support Italy's early pressure down the left. Belgium appealed for a penalty when he grappled with De Cuyper in the box midway through the second half, but neither the referee nor VAR were interested, and he later cleared a De Ketelaere cross away from the lurking Doku.

Riccardo Calafiori (5/10): Teed up Nicolo Fagioli for one of Italy's best early chances, but Belgium's equaliser came from Timothy Castagne's cut-back down his side. Also conceded the corner from which De Ketelaere headed against the bar early in the second half.

Nicolo Barella (6/10): Worked hard in a midfield that was overrun for long spells, and raced back to make a vital interception from a dangerous Moreira cross in the 78th minute. Lasted the full 90 minutes but could not get Italy back into the game.

Sandro Tonali (6/10): One of Italy's more creative outlets, crossing for Niccolo Pisilli's header just before the break and teeing up Federico Dimarco early in the second half. Booked in first-half stoppage time for stopping Doku on the counter, and replaced by Marco Palestra on 62 minutes.

Nicolo Fagioli (6/10): Forced Lammens into a save in the seventh minute after a neat move down the left, but Italy's midfield lost control as Belgium struck three times in 11 minutes. Replaced by Issa Doumbia at half-time.

Francesco Pio Esposito (7/10): Stretched to fire Kayode's deflected cross into the top corner for the opener, his fifth goal of the Nations League campaign. Nearly found space again early in the second half before Youri Tielemans intercepted, but saw his stoppage-time penalty saved by Lammens.

Niccolo Pisilli (6/10): Had two of Italy's best first-half chances, forcing Lammens into a close-range save straight after Fagioli's effort and glancing a header wide from Tonali's cross just before the break. Made way for Dimarco at half-time.

Luca Koleosho (6/10): Lively in the opening exchanges and crossed for Doumbia's volley moments after the restart, but struggled to make an impact as Belgium took control. Replaced by Antonio Vergara in the 76th minute.

Issa Doumbia (6/10): Came on for Fagioli at half-time and saw a volley deflected behind within a minute. Flashed a late shot over from a tight angle and had a goal ruled out for offside after Dimarco's clever backheel.

Federico Dimarco (6/10): Replaced Pisilli at the break and had two efforts blocked early in the second half. Moreira and De Ketelaere both got the better of him down the left, but he set up Doumbia's disallowed goal in stoppage time.

Alphadjo Cisse (6/10): Made his senior international debut in place of Scalvini. Headed narrowly wide from Palestra's cross, and his shot from outside the box struck the arm of Raskin, earning the penalty that Pio Esposito missed.

Marco Palestra (6/10): Replaced Tonali on 62 minutes and was one of Italy's brighter substitutes, teeing up Vergara's blocked effort and crossing for Cisse's header.

Antonio Vergara (6/10): Came on for Koleosho in the 76th minute, had a shot blocked soon after and supplied the ball for Cisse's late effort that led to the penalty.

Roberto Mancini (4/10): Needed only a draw but watched his side lose a one-goal lead inside 15 minutes. Was without the injured Davide Frattesi and Nicolo Cambiaghi, and his half-time and hour-mark changes brought more pressure, but never threatened a comeback.