Italy defeated Türkiye 3-1 in the UEFA Nations League on Oct. 5 night, handing the visiting side its fourth consecutive defeat as pressure mounted on coach Vincenzo Montella.
Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori and Sebastiano Esposito scored for Italy at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium. The loss left Türkiye at the bottom of Group 1 in League A with zero points, marking the national team’s first four-match losing streak since 1988.
Türkiye conceded 11 goals in its four losses, scoring only twice.
The poor run of form prompted travelling fans to chant for Montella’s resignation shortly after Italy opened the scoring. Despite the criticism from the stands, the Italian coach remained resolute about his position and the team’s long-term trajectory.
“Even though the result was not what we wanted, we will use these experiences to improve ourselves, without forgetting that our definitive goal is the European Championship,” Montella said after the match.
Addressing the mounting pressure, he added, "I don’t think I am the best coach in the world. I am lucky in this regard, because I know I will always keep improving myself. Everything can change very quickly in this profession, but I look forward with hope and will continue my work.”
Italy took the lead in the 26th minute. Following a cross from Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Scamacca’s initial header was blocked by the defense, but the striker hammered the rebound off the crossbar and into the net.
The goal triggered immediate frustration in the away end, with sections of the Turkish support repeatedly chanting “Montella istifa” (Montella resign).
Türkiye found a lifeline in the 61st minute when winger Aral Şimşir tapped in a cross at the back post to level the match at 1-1.
The momentum, however, was short-lived. Three minutes later, Calafiori restored Italy’s advantage by heading home a free kick from Nicolo Barella.
Esposito sealed the victory in the 87th minute, finishing a hard, low cross from the edge of the six-yard box after a quick counterattack.
Despite remaining winless in the Nations League campaign, Montella praised the dedication of his squad and shut down any speculation about an imminent departure.
“Over a three-year period, our players have achieved incredible things,” Montella said.
“The reason my motivation is high is the hard work my players put in with sacrifice. I am proud to be here, and although I received different offers in the past, I am truly happy that I stayed. Because I believe in my players until the end.”
In Group 1’s other match, Michael Olise came off the bench to score a double to inspire France to a 4-1 win over Belgium.
Dodi Lukebakio’s first-half strike had Belgium on track for a first competitive victory over France since 1981, but Zinedine Zidane turned to his star-studded bench and the host produced a devastating late surge.
Les Bleus struck four times in the final 13 minutes to keep Zidane’s unbeaten record as coach intact as France edged closer to a place in the quarterfinals.
