Calcio Society · https://calciosociety.news/analysis/turkey-1-4-italy-kayode-the-esposito-brothers-and-a-response-mancini-needed-149781
Turkey 1-4 Italy: Kayode, the Esposito brothers and a response Mancini needed
29.09.26, 09:35 6 Minute Read
Three days after being booed off at the Stadio Olimpico, Italy found their answer in Bursa. A 4-1 win over Vincenzo Montella's Turkiye does not erase the Belgium defeat, and Roberto Mancini was the first to say so. But it gave Italy something they badly needed: Energy, goals and a handful of young players who looked ready for international football.
Italy are now level on three points with Belgium in League A Group 1, three behind France, who beat Belgium 1-0 on Monday. Next up is the hardest test of all: France away on Friday 2 October.
A revolution that worked
Mancini promised changes and delivered them. Only three players kept their places from the Belgium defeat: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sandro Tonali and Francesco Pio Esposito. Ten squad members did not even travel. In came Michael Kayode for his debut at right-back, Alessandro Bastoni and Giorgio Scalvini in the centre of defence, Davide Frattesi and Nicolò Fagioli in midfield, and Giacomo Raspadori and Sebastiano Esposito in attack.
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Andrea Locorotondo is an SJA- and AIPS-accredited sports journalist with venue access across UEFA and FIFA competitions. He is the founder and editor of Calcio Society, and co-founded the independent Aston Villa title The Holte Roar.