Shaking off the disappointment of a narrow defeat to Belgium, four-time world champions Italy made a resounding comeback, thrashing Turkey 4-1 in a UEFA Nations League fixture.

Playing away in Bursa, the Azzurri delivered an emphatic performance spearheaded by standout displays from youngsters Michael Kayode and Pio Esposito.

Looking to solidify their standing in the tournament, head coach Roberto Mancini shook up his starting XI with eight changes.

The headline news was the international debuts of Michael Kayode, Matteo Ruggeri, and Sebastiano Esposito.

Notably, Sebastiano and his brother Francesco Pio Esposito stepping onto the pitch together marked the first time two brothers have played simultaneously in an Azzurri shirt since 1915.

Meanwhile, Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey side also took to the field missing several key players.

Goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sidelined due to suspension, while Hakan Calhanoglu, Kenan Yildiz, and Mert Muldur were absent through injury.

Both sides entered the match desperate for points after losing their respective opening group-stage fixtures.

First Half Dominance
Italy opened the scoring early. After a shot by Francesco Pio Esposito was blocked, the Turkish defense failed to clear the resulting corner.

Defender Alessandro Bastoni capitalized, firing a clinical shot from 12 yards out to give Italy the lead.

It marked a dream return for Bastoni, who was playing his first match since receiving a red card during the World Cup qualifiers.

The visitors doubled their advantage shortly after following a brilliant team move.

Crisp, intricate passing between Davide Frattesi, Pio Esposito, and Giacomo Raspadori set up Michael Kayode, whose shot was saved by the keeper, only for Frattesi to turn home the rebound.

Italy added a third shortly after through a lightning-fast counter-attack.

Receiving a precise pass from Pio Esposito down the right flank, debutant Michael Kayode finished with composure to cap off a dream start.

It was the first time since September 2021 that Italy had scored three goals within the opening 30 minutes of a competitive match.

Second Half and Sealed Victory
Turkey attempted an immediate response after the break, reaping instant rewards from a triple substitution.

Just 90 seconds into the second half, Baris Alper Yilmaz turned in a cross from Oguz Aydin to pull a goal back for the hosts.

However, any hopes of a Turkish comeback were quickly dashed. Substitute Nicolo Cambiaghi intercepted a ball in midfield and fed Sandro Tonali.

Tonali's curling effort struck the post and bounced back into the path of Francesco Pio Esposito, who tapped into an empty net to cap a memorable night with his first international goal.

Tensions flared late in the match when Turkish forward Yilmaz went down inside the box appealing for a penalty, but the referee waved away the claims and instead booked him for simulation.

Yilmaz thought he had pulled another back when he netted from an Arda Guler pass, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Italy comfortably managed the closing stages to secure a comprehensive 4-1 victory.