Italy Thrash Turkiye 4-1 as Esposito Brothers Make History for Azzurri
Italy responded emphatically to their opening-day defeat to Belgium by beating Turkey 4-1 in the second matchday of the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday, September 29. The victory not only gave Roberto Mancini his first win of the campaign but also saw the Esposito brothers make Italian football history.
The Azzurri headed into the match in need of a strong reaction after losing 2-0 to Belgium in their opening fixture. They delivered exactly that at Ataturk Sport in Bursa, producing an impressive attacking display as Alessandro Bastoni, Davide Frattesi, Michael Kayode and Pio Esposito all found the net.
Turkey managed to reduce the deficit through Barış Alper Yılmaz, but Italy remained in control and ultimately secured a convincing victory. The result marks an important response from Mancini’s side after their disappointing start to the competition.
While the scoreline was significant, the biggest storyline of the night came before the final whistle, as brothers Pio and Sebastiano Esposito both started for Italy. Their appearance together created a remarkable piece of history for the national team.
For Sebastiano, the match marked his senior international debut, while Pio entered the game with 10 Italy appearances and five goals already to his name. The brothers became the latest siblings to represent the Azzurri, following in the footsteps of Filippo and Simone Inzaghi, who were both part of the national team in 2000.
However, having two brothers start the same match for Italy is an achievement that had not been recorded for more than a century. The last time it happened was in 1915, when Aldo and Luigi Cevenini featured together in Italy’s 3-1 victory over Switzerland, meaning the Espositos have recreated a feat that had remained untouched for 111 years.
Pio also came close to adding another goal to his international tally during the match. More importantly, the Inter Milan forward was able to share the pitch with his younger brother, something that carried particular significance for a family that has produced three senior Italy internationals.
Their eldest brother, Salvatore Esposito, previously represented Italy in 2022. Pio admitted that playing alongside Sebastiano was a special experience and expressed his hope that they will have more opportunities to share the pitch in an Azzurri shirt.
“It was incredible because we were able to share the same space. I remember when I made my Italy debut last year, so I did not want to put any pressure on him. I hope he enjoyed it,” Pio said.
The brothers have taken different routes at club level. Pio is enjoying a productive campaign with Inter Milan, while Sebastiano is spending the season on loan at Sassuolo from Cagliari as he continues his development.
Italy’s emphatic response in Bursa now gives Mancini and his players renewed confidence ahead of their remaining Group A fixtures. The Azzurri are scheduled to face France on October 3 before meeting Turkey again three days later.
With Italy now back among the early contenders in the group and the Esposito brothers having etched their names into national-team history, the victory over Turkey could prove to be a significant moment in Mancini’s latest chapter in charge of the Azzurri.
