BOLOGNA (Azat TV) – Italy secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory against Turkiye at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, wrapping up the international window with a vital result in the UEFA Nations League group phase. Roberto Mancini's side capitalized on key moments despite a dominant spell of possession from the visitors, with Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori, and Pio Esposito finding the back of the net to seal the three points. The fixture brought together two former Sampdoria teammates in opposing technical areas, as Mancini faced off against Vincenzo Montella in a crucial Group A1 clash that carried significant implications for both squads as they navigate the compressed international calendar.
Heading into the match, Italy sought to maintain pressure on group leaders France and Belgium. The Azzurri began their Nations League campaign with a dismal 2-0 home defeat to Belgium, but confidence had gradually built following a 4-1 victory in Turkiye and a 1-1 draw away to France. For Vincenzo Montella's visiting side, the encounter in Bologna marked the conclusion of a deeply demoralizing window characterized by three consecutive defeats, during which they scored just one goal and conceded eight times. Montella faced considerable pressure and calls for dismissal, compounded by a severely depleted squad missing star names due to injury and suspension.
Tactical Rotations and First-Half Breakthrough
In setting up his team, Italy manager Roberto Mancini made nine changes from previous lineups, retaining only Alessandro Bastoni while handing rare starts to Antonio Vergara and Issa Doumbia. Moise Kean was sidelined due to injury, forcing further adjustments in the tactical setup. The experimental shuffle took time to settle, and Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was forced into early action. Donnarumma had to make the first save of the game, getting down to fingertip an Ozan Kabak daisy-cutter around the base of the near post, before staying alert to deal with a dangerous Yunus Akgun header following a turnover by Nicolò Barella.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 26th minute. Gianluca Scamacca had already seen an effort disallowed after being caught well offside moments prior, but he made no mistake when the first genuine Azzurri opportunity materialized. Scamacca attempted to knock down a cross from Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and the ball bounced off the shoulder of Turkish defender Ozan Kabak. Scamacca reacted quickest, smashing a fierce volley from six yards out that struck the underside of the crossbar and crossed the line, giving Italy a 1-0 advantage that they carried into the interval despite mounting pressure from the visitors.
Resilient Equalizer and Quick Response
Turkiye, managed by Vincenzo Montella, refused to back down despite being without key talents such as Juventus star Kenan Yildiz, Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, Can Uzun due to injury, and suspended players Baris Alper Yilmaz and Real Madrid prospect Arda Guler. Montella's depleted squad controlled significant spells of possession, and Gianluca Mancini had to be in the right place defensively to clear an Aral Simsir free header at the back post. Turkiye's persistence finally paid off when they earned a well-worked equalizer. Zeki Celik pulled the ball back from the by-line, Eren Elmali flicked it on, and Aral Simsir swept the ball in unmarked at the back post.
However, the parity lasted only four minutes as Italy immediately restored their advantage. Nicolò Barella delivered a precise free kick to the far post, where substitute Riccardo Calafiori rose to loop a header past the goalkeeper. It marked the Arsenal defender's first-ever goal for the national team. Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the sequence and rejected Turkish appeals claiming Calafiori leaned on Elmali during the aerial duel. With Turkiye pushing aggressively forward late in the game in search of another equalizer, substitute Pio Esposito added a third goal for Italy in the 87th minute through a composed finish, putting the result entirely beyond doubt and capping off the 3-1 scoreline.
Group Standings Impact and Upcoming Fixtures
The 3-1 defeat compounds a difficult international window for Montella's side, who must now regroup ahead of the decisive November fixtures. Turkiye is scheduled to face Belgium at home on November 12 before traveling to take on France on November 15 to conclude their group stage commitments. Meanwhile, the victory allows Italy to maintain pressure on group leaders France and Belgium as the tournament heads toward its climax. Roberto Mancini's men will host France on November 12 before traveling to visit Belgium on November 15 to wrap up their own UEFA Nations League group stage campaign. Analysts note that while tactical flexibility and squad depth helped Italy navigate the fixture successfully, defensive lapses continue to expose vulnerabilities that elite opponents will look to exploit in the upcoming matches.