Nations League official line-ups Italy vs Turkiye: Scamacca Double Seals 3-1 Win in Bologna

FolioPitch.com – 06 October 2026 | BOLOGNA — Italy reignited their Nations League campaign with a commanding 3-1 victory over Turkiye at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Monday evening, as the Nations League official line-ups Italy vs Turkiye revealed a heavily rotated Azzurri side that still had far too much firepower for Vincenzo Montella’s struggling visitors.

With Roberto Mancini’s men eager to close the gap on the leading pair in Group A, the Nations League official line-ups Italy vs Turkiye showed numerous changes from the side that battled to a creditable 1-1 draw away to France. Gianluca Scamacca returned to lead the line, Nicolò Barella was restored to midfield, and Napoli winger Antonio Vergara was handed his first start in a revamped attacking trident alongside Cagliari’s Daniel Maldini.

Turkiye arrived in Emilia-Romagna without some of their most influential talent. Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz and Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu remained sidelined through injury, while Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and striker Baris Alper Yilmaz were suspended. Eintracht Frankfurt playmaker Can Uzun was also struggling with a muscular issue, leaving Montella with a weakened squad and mounting pressure after three straight defeats in the competition.

The Nations League official line-ups Italy vs Turkiye confirmed that only Alessandro Bastoni survived from the outfield players who started the previous match, with Issa Doumbia also making his first start in midfield. Moise Kean was the latest withdrawal through injury, while Diego Coppola, Momo Zoma and Samuele Ricci watched from the stands. Samuele Inacio was included in the squad for the first time and awaited a potential debut.

Turkiye handed starts to Juventus full-back Zeki Celik and former Juventus defender Merih Demiral, while goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir returned after suspension. Poland’s Szymon Marciniak was appointed referee for the encounter.

First Half: Scamacca Strikes Twice

Italy dominated possession from the opening whistle and needed just 26 minutes to break the deadlock. Scamacca latched onto a clever through ball and finished calmly past Cakir to send the Dall’Ara crowd into raptures. The Atalanta striker doubled his tally in the 42nd minute, pouncing on a defensive lapse to make it 2-0 before the interval.

The Azzurri’s dominance was reflected in the statistics, with 45 percent possession, 15 total shots and six on target across the 90 minutes, compared to Turkiye’s 55 percent possession but only five shots on target.

Second Half: Ruggeri and Esposito Seal It

Matteo Ruggeri added a third just two minutes after the restart, finishing off a sweeping move to effectively end the contest. Turkiye pulled one back in the 61st minute when Aral Simsir converted an assist from Eren Elmali, but any hopes of a comeback were swiftly extinguished.

Italy made full use of their bench, introducing Riccardo Calafiori, Michael Kayode, Pio Esposito, Sandro Tonali and Davide Frattesi. Pio Esposito, assisted by Alessandro Romano, rounded off the scoring in the 87th minute to complete a comprehensive 3-1 win. Turkiye’s misery was compounded by late yellow cards for Zeki Celik and Abdulkerim Bardakci.

Key Statistics

What It Means

The result lifts Italy’s momentum in Group A and piles further pressure on Montella, whose side have now lost all four of their Nations League fixtures, scoring just twice and conceding eleven. The Nations League official line-ups Italy vs Turkiye will be pored over by Turkish media in the coming days as questions intensify over the coach’s future.

For Mancini, the performance offered encouragement. Scamacca’s brace demonstrated his clinical edge, Barella’s return added control in midfield, and the blooding of Vergara and Doumbia hinted at a deeper squad capable of coping with a punishing schedule of four games in two weeks.

Conclusion

Italy’s 3-1 triumph in Bologna was built on a ruthless first-half display and a bench that maintained the tempo after the break. While Turkiye showed flashes of resistance, the absence of key players proved too great a hurdle. The Nations League official line-ups Italy vs Turkiye may have promised a contest, but the reality was a one-sided affair that leaves the Azzurri dreaming of Group A supremacy and Turkiye facing a long road back.