Nations League | Italy 3-1 Turkiye: Calafiori first goal for fresh victory

Italy weren’t quite as impressive this time, but still managed to push Turkiye aside 3-1 with Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori and Pio Esposito on target.

The Azzurri started this Nations League group with a dismal 2-0 home defeat to Belgium, but confidence was building after the 4-1 victory in Turkiye and 1-1 draw away to France. This run of games ended at the Stadio Dall’Ara in Bologna with Roberto Mancini making nine changes, retaining only Alessandro Bastoni fresh from two goals in as many appearances. Moise Kean was out injured, but Antonio Vergara and Issa Doumbia got their first starts.

Vincenzo Montella was already facing calls for his dismissal after three defeats with one goal scored and eight conceded. Along with Juventus star Kenan Yildiz and Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, he also lost Can Uzun to injury, plus suspended Baris Alper Yilmaz and Real Madrid talent Arda Guler.

Gianluigi Donnarumma had to make the first save of the game, getting down to fingertip the Ozan Kabak daisy-cutter round the base of the near post, then was alert on the Yunus Akgun header after Barella gave it away.

Gianluca Scamacca was well offside when getting the ball in the net after 23 minutes, but he did open the scoring with the first genuine Azzurri opportunity.

He tried to knock down Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s cross, it bounced off the shoulder of Turkish defender Ozan Kabak, so Scamacca smashed it in on the volley from six yards off the underside of the bar.

Turkiye continued to have a lot of possession and Gianluca Mancini was in the right place to clear an Aral Simsir free header at the back post, but substitute Pio Esposito’s through ball sent Doumbia clear to force a difficult save with Cakir Ugurcan’s outstretched foot.

Montella’s men earned a more than deserved equaliser with a well-worked move. Zeki Celik pulled back from the by-line, it was flicked on by Eren Elmali and Aral Simsir was unmarked to sweep in at the back post.

Within four minutes, Italy had restored their advantage. Barella pumped a free kick to the far stick, where he found substitute Calafiori for the looping header. It was the Arsenal defender’s first goal for the Nazionale, and VAR rejected the Turkish appeals for a lean on Elmali.

Vergara got back for a decisive block to stop Ismail Yuksek meeting the Yunus Akgun roll across, then Donnarumma flew to palm the Salih Ozcan strike out from under the bar.

The Azzurri added a third late on to be sure, as Doumbia saw his effort charged down and the Alessandro Romano follow-up turned into an accidental assist for Pio Esposito to poke in from a couple of yards.

Doumbia was determined to get on target himself, testing the goalkeeper from the tightest of angles.

As France came back from a goal down to beat Belgium 4-1, it means Italy are now second in Group A on seven points.

Italy 3-1 Turkiye

Scamacca 26 (I), Aral Simsir 61 (T), Calafiori 65 (I), Pio Esposito 87 (I)

05-10-2026 19:45

Matchday 4

Italy

Turkey

Live

Player statistic

1st half

2nd half

Italy

Turkey

Starting lineups

Gianluigi Donnarumma Goalkeeper

Alessandro Bastoni Defender

Gianluca Mancini Defender

Giovanni Di Lorenzo Defender 55'

17 Matteo Ruggeri Defender 55'

Alessandro Romano Midfielder

Antonio Vergara Midfielder 84'

Daniel Maldini Midfielder

Issa Doumbia Midfielder

Nicolò Barella Midfielder 70'

Gianluca Scamacca Attacker 55'

Ugurcan Cakir Goalkeeper

14 Abdülkerim Bardakci Defender

13 Eren Elmali Defender

20 Ferdi Kadioglu Defender 88'

15 Ozan Kabak Defender

2 Zeki Celik Defender

16 Ismail Yüksek Midfielder 79'

5 Salih Özcan Midfielder

Aral Şimşir Attacker 70'

17 Irfan Can Kahveci Attacker 70'

19 Yunus Akgün Attacker 88'

Substitutes

Guglielmo Vicario Goalkeeper

Nicolò Fagioli Midfielder

Giorgio Scalvini Defender

Nicolò Cambiaghi Attacker

Marco Carnesecchi Goalkeeper

Sebastiano Esposito Attacker

Samuele Inácio Attacker

Riccardo Calafiori Defender 55'

Michael Kayode Defender 55'

Francesco Pio Esposito Attacker 55'

Sandro Tonali Midfielder 70'

Davide Frattesi Midfielder 84'

3 Merih Demiral Defender

1 Altay Bayindir Goalkeeper

12 Muhammed Sengezer Goalkeeper

8 Demir Ege Tıknaz Midfielder

Emirhan Topcu Defender

22 Mustafa Eskihellac Midfielder

Melih Kabasakal Midfielder

Bartug Elmaz Midfielder 70'

Ilhan Fakili Attacker 70'

7 Kerem Aktürkoglu Attacker 79'

9 Deniz Gül Attacker 88'

18 Oğuz Aydın Attacker 88'