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.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

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.