Italy overcome Turkiye 3-1 with second-half surge

The visitors enjoyed more of the ball, holding 55 % possession to Italy’s 45 %, yet the hosts created the clearer chances. Italy registered 15 shots with six on target, generating an expected‑goals total of 1.90 compared with Turkiye’s 1.31 from 14 attempts and five on target. The gap widened after the break: Italy’s second‑half xG jumped to 1.61 from just 0.29 in the first period, a rise of 1.32, while Turkiye’s fell from 0.35 to 0.96. This uptick came despite Italy completing fewer passes in the opposition half (163 versus 264) and winning fewer duels overall (46 to 31). The Azzurri’s accuracy remained high, with 88 % of their 393 successful passes finding a teammate, only slightly below Turkiye’s 90 % completion rate on 496 passes.

Scamacca’s early goal gave Italy a platform to dictate the tempo, even as they ceded possession. After Turkiye’s equaliser, the Italian response was immediate: Barella’s pinpoint free‑kick found Calafiori unmarked at the far post, and the defender’s header left the keeper with no chance. The goal shifted the momentum and forced Montella’s side to chase the game, opening spaces that Italy exploited. Esposito’s late winner arrived after a high‑press forced a mistake in Turkiye’s midfield; Doumbia lost a shoulder‑to‑shoulder duel with Bardacki, the ball broke to Romano, who laid it off for Esposito to finish low and hard. The goal not only secured the three points but also highlighted Italy’s ability to punish lapses in concentration, a trait that had been missing in their earlier matches.