Ciro Immobile produced a goal and assist as Italy ran riot to thrash Turkey 3-0 in Rome in Euro 2020’s opening match.
A dominant first half yielded no goals for Italy who eventually forced a breakthrough in the 53rd minute when Domenico Berardi’s cross from the goal line was deflected in off Merih Demiral’s chest.
Immobile then doubled Italy’s lead on their home turf as he fired in on the rebound after Ugurcan Cakir blocked Leonardo Spinazzola’s shot, before turning provider in the 79th minute to set up Lorenzo Insigne’s sharp strike across into the bottom right corner to complete victory.
The result means that Italy sit top of Group A whilst Turkey sit bottom heading into their second of three group matches.
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Italy made a bright start with Alessandro Florenzi unleashing a long ball up the right just three minutes in, finding Berardi to pull back for Immobile who could only fire wide of the near bottom right corner.
Immobile four minutes later teed up Berardi who could only knock the ball straight into Cakir’s arms, before then setting up Lorenzo Insigne in the 18th minute with an one-two move, only for Insigne to curl his shot wide of the far bottom right corner.
Leonardo Bonucci soon afterwards saw two shots go wide either side of Giorgio Chiellini’s header which was flicked over the bar by Cakir.
Nicolo Barella saw a 29th minute penalty appeal waved away by referee, Danny Makkelie just moments before he fired over, with Cakir two minutes later punching Jorginho’s cross from a short corner clear with Immobile a further two minutes later heading over.
Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma eventually was called into action after 35 minutes when he punched clear Burak Yilmaz’s cross from the left, which represented his only major moment of the first half.
Italy went on to continue their dominant first half pressing performance as Insigne and Immobile saw shots saved either side of Berardi’s 39th minute blasted strike over the bar.
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Turkey came out fighting in the opening minutes of the second half as substitute, Cengiz Under saw his 52nd minute shot saved by Donnarumma, with Cakir immediately forced to clear Bonucci’s long ball from up the middle at the other end.
Italy however managed to force the breakthrough a minute later as Berardi picked up Immobile’s pass towards the right and whipped in a short cross to Insigne but Demiral unluckily chested the ball into his own net.
Spinazzola and Immobile both missed chances to immediately double that lead as the former saw his shot blocked by Cakir to Immobile, who volleyed wide of the right corner with an overhead volley on the turn from behind.
Insigne and Manuel Locatelli both then saw shots go begging but Roberto Mancini’s Gli Azzurrri eventually forced a second goal in the 66th minute, as Berardi played across to Spinazzola who rifled upon goal on the bounce only for Cakir to block but Immobile was alert to tap in on the rebound.
Kenan Karaman created Turkey’s best chance of the match in the 76th minute as he met a direct overhead ball, only to head his shot straight into Donnarumma’s arms.
Three minutes later, Immobile turned provider as a neat passage of play in from the right found the Lazio striker, who played across for an unmarked Insigne to curl across into the bottom right corner to complete victory and mark the first time ever that Italy have scored three goals in a match at the Euros.
What Next?
Turkey will face Wales in their second Group A match on Wednesday 16 June in Baku, with kick off scheduled for 5pm BST UK Time exclusively live on BBC One for UK viewers.
Italy will then host Switzerland in the late evening kick-off that day from 8pm BST UK Time, with live exclusive coverage on ITV.
Teams
Turkey: Ugurcan Cakir, Zeki Celik, Merih Demiral, Caglar Soyuncu, Umut Meras, Okay Yokuslu (Kahveci 65′), Kenan Karaman (Dervisoglu 76′), Ozan Tufan (Ayhan 64′), Yusuf Yazici (Under 45′), Hakan Calhanoglu, Burak Yilmaz
Substitutes: Mert Gunok (GK), Cengiz Under, Dorukhan Tokoz, Altay Bayindir (GK), Taylan Antalyali, Ozan Kabak, Enes Unal, Orkun Kokcu, Irfan Kahveci, Kaan Ayhan, Mert Muldur, Halil Dervisoglu
Italy: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Florenzi (DI Lorenzo 45′), Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Spinazzola, Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Manuel Locatelli (Cristante 74′), Domenico Berardi (Bernardeschi 85′), Ciro Immobile (Belotti 81′), Lorenzo Insigne (Chiesa 81′)
Substitutes: Salvatore Sirigu (GK), Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Andrea Belotti, Matteo Pessina, Emerson, Federico Chiesa, Francesco Acerbi, Bryan Cristante, Federico Bernardeschi, Giacomo Raspadori, Alessandro Bastoni, Alex Meret (GK)
