Nations League | Turkiye 1-4 Italy: Transformed Azzurri’s Turkish delight

Italy were a completely transformed team in Turkiye, emerging with a 4-1 victory thanks to Alessandro Bastoni, Davide Frattesi, debutant Michael Kayode, and Francesco Pio Esposito.

This was a head-to-head at the foot of Nations League Group A after both teams lost their opening games. The Azzurri made eight changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Belgium, including debuts for Michael Kayode, Matteo Ruggeri and Sebastiano Esposito, meaning two brothers started together for the first time since 1915. Nicolò Fagioli had his first appearance since October 2024, while Alessandro Bastoni returned from suspension.

Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye had goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir sent off in the 1-0 defeat to France, so he was banned, with Kenan Yildiz, Hakan Calhanoglu and Mert Muldur among those injured.

Pio Esposito ran onto the Davide Frattesi through ball and his angled drive was fingertipped past the far post, but on the resulting weak Ruggeri corner, Zeki Celik scuffed the clearance, turning into an accidental assist for Bastoni to sweep into the roof of the net from 12 yards. It was his first appearance since the damaging red card in the World Cup play-off with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The second goal was well-worked with a series of one-touch passes involving Frattesi, Pio Esposito and Giacomo Raspadori until the Kayode angled drive was parried into the path of Frattesi at the back post.

Can Uzun got the finish all wrong on a Baris Alper Yilmaz lay-off, but the Azzurri added a third with essentially a carbon copy of the second goal. It was a very similar move with a series of quick passes, concluding with Pio Esposito sending Kayode down the right, this time finishing at the near post to beat the goalkeeper.

The Nazionale had not scored three goals in the opening half-hour of a competitive game since the World Cup qualifier against Lithuania in September 2021.

Raspadori swept over after a Sebastiano Esposito back-heel flick, while the Sassuolo striker couldn’t keep his volley on target from a Kayode cross after another good passing move.

Turkiye made three changes at half-time and scored within 90 seconds after a chaotic mess in the Italy defence. A cross-field pass surprised Ruggeri and Gianluigi Donnarumma, allowing Oguz Aydin down the right to pull back for Baris Alper Yilmaz to sweep into an empty net undisturbed.

It didn’t last long, as moments later substitute Nicolò Cambiaghi intercepted a wayward pass, pulled back from the left for Sandro Tonali’s curler to bounce off the far post, with Pio Esposito ready to nod in the rebound for 1-4. The Inter striker is only the second player to score over five goals for Italy before turning 21, the other was Giuseppe Meazza.

Giorgio Scalvini was surprised by a long ball over the top, but Donnarumma did not make contact with Baris Alper Yilmaz, so the striker was instead booked for simulation.

There was another scare when Baris Alper Yilmaz saw his angled drive bounce in off the inside of the far post after a smart Arda Guler pass, but Oguz Aydin was offside and interfering with Donnarumma’s attempted save.

Altay Bayindir made a tricky save on Cambiaghi’s angled drive, then managed to smother before Kayode could pounce on the loose ball for a tap-in.

Arda Guler’s curler was wide of the far top corner, but Kerem Akturkoglu horribly ballooned over from six yards after Arda Guler dribbled past three inside the area.

Turkiye 1-4 Italy

Bastoni 9 (I), Frattesi 22 (I), Kayode 27 (I), Baris Alper Yilmaz 47 (T), P Esposito 50 (I)

28-09-2026 19:45

Matchday 2

Turkey

Italy

Live

Player statistic

1st half

2nd half

Turkey

Italy

Starting lineups

1 Altay Bayindir Goalkeeper

13 Eren Elmali Defender

3 Merih Demiral Defender 46'

15 Ozan Kabak Defender

2 Zeki Celik Defender

10 Arda Güler Midfielder

11 Can Uzun Midfielder 46'

6 Orkun Kökcü Midfielder 46'

5 Salih Özcan Midfielder 76'

21 Barış Alper Yılmaz Attacker 48'

18 Oğuz Aydın Attacker

Gianluigi Donnarumma Goalkeeper

Alessandro Bastoni Defender

Giorgio Scalvini Defender

17 Matteo Ruggeri Defender

Michael Kayode Defender

Davide Frattesi Midfielder 82'

Nicolò Fagioli Midfielder 76'

Sandro Tonali Midfielder

Pio Esposito Attacker 75'

Giacomo Raspadori Attacker 46'

Sebastiano Esposito Attacker 63'

Substitutes

23 Okan Kocuk Goalkeeper

19 Yunus Akgün Attacker

7 Kerem Aktürkoglu Attacker

17 Irfan Can Kahveci Attacker

12 Muhammed Sengezer Goalkeeper

16 Ismail Yüksek Midfielder

4 Samet Akaydin Defender

22 Mustafa Eskihellac Midfielder

20 Ferdi Kadioglu Defender 46'

14 Abdülkerim Bardakci Defender 46'

9 Deniz Gül Attacker 48'

8 Demir Ege Tıknaz Midfielder 76'

Riccardo Calafiori Defender

Guglielmo Vicario Goalkeeper

Antonio Vergara Midfielder

Rolando Mandragora Midfielder

Moise Kean Attacker

Marco Carnesecchi Goalkeeper

Daniele Ghilardi Defender

Nicolò Cambiaghi Attacker 46'

Issa Doumbia Midfielder 63'

Gianluca Scamacca Attacker 75'

Alessandro Romano Midfielder 76'

Giovanni Di Lorenzo Defender 82'