Italy thrash Turkey 4-1 for first Nations League win of the Mancini era

Italy put their opening defeat behind them with a convincing 4-1 win over Turkey in Bursa on Monday night. The Azzurri settled the contest with three goals inside the first half hour and collected their first victory of Roberto Mancini's second spell in charge.

• Italy won 4-1 in Bursa to claim their first three points in the Nations League.
• Bastoni opened the scoring after 9 minutes before Frattesi and Kayode made it 3-0.
• Pio Esposito added Italy's fourth goal after the break.
• Baris Yilmaz pulled one back for Turkey early in the second half.
• Montella's side remain bottom of the group with zero points.

How Italy beat Turkey 4-1 in the Nations League

The match in Bursa started with both sides feeling each other out and rain falling steadily on the pitch. Italy soon imposed their rhythm. Pio Esposito fired an early warning with a low cross-shot saved by Bayindir, and from the resulting corner Turkey failed to clear. Bastoni reacted fastest in the box and struck a left-footed effort to give the visitors a ninth-minute lead.

Turkey had no answer. Defensive problems kept appearing, and Raspadori and Pio Esposito nearly took advantage. With the Esposito brothers causing constant trouble between the lines, Italy doubled their lead midway through the first half: a slick team move ended with Kayode's driven finish, and Frattesi pounced on the goalkeeper's poor parry to make it 2-0.

Bastoni, Frattesi, Kayode and Pio Esposito score in a dominant first half

The third goal arrived with similar ease. In another flowing move, Pio Esposito received the ball inside the area and laid it off for Kayode to finish confidently in the 27th minute. With the score at 3-0, Italy managed the game comfortably until the break while the home crowd jeered their team and Arda Güler struggled to get involved.

Mancini's revolution: eight changes and a fresh Italy

Mancini opted for a deep overhaul after Friday's defeat against Belgium in Rome. He left ten players out of the squad and made eight changes to the starting line-up. Only Donnarumma, Tonali and Pio Esposito kept their places, while Bastoni returned after serving a suspension.

The performance justified the selection. Italy were far sharper in the first half, controlled possession and turned their pressure into clear chances. The national team is looking to move on from a difficult cycle that included missing the last three World Cups.

Turkey's second-half response and Baris Yilmaz's goal

Montella made a triple substitution at half-time and the impact was immediate. Just after the restart, a mix-up between Donnarumma and Ruggeri allowed Turkey to reduce the deficit through Baris Yilmaz, who finished off a pass from Aydin.

The home side's joy was short-lived. Italy struck back moments later when Tonali hit the post and Pio Esposito headed in the rebound for 4-1. Turkey still improved after the changes, enjoyed more possession and saw Güler become more involved. Akturkoglu wasted a golden chance inside the box with ten minutes left, missing the opportunity to put real pressure on Italy.

What Italy face next against France

The three points give Italy breathing room in the group and a boost of confidence ahead of their next test. On Friday they visit France in Saint-Denis, a tougher assignment that will measure how consistent this new Azzurri side can be.

Turkey, by contrast, are in a difficult position. They sit bottom of the group with zero points and produced a poor defensive display. Montella's future looks uncertain after two straight defeats in a Nations League campaign that has started badly.