Italy earned a precious 2-0 victory away to Turkey in the European Under-21 Championship qualifiers with Fabio Miretti and a sensational Marco Nasti lob from midfield.
The game began with a minute’s silence for the thousands of victims of the earthquake in Turkey. New coach Carmine Nunziata made four changes from the side that drew 0-0 in Latvia on his debut, including the return of Tommaso Baldanzi from suspension and adding PSG talent Cher N’Dour to the starting XI.
The hosts had a huge chance with Erencan Yardimci’s diving header just wide of the target, while Cesare Casadei fired over from a 12 yards and Francesco Pio Esposito turned inches past the post on Baldanzi’s assist.
Juventus starlet Kenan Yildiz it the side-netting with a powerful strike, but his club teammate Fabio Miretti was twice in very promising situations only to pick the wrong final pass.
Italy took the lead in first half stoppages, as Esposito turned Ugur Kaan Yildiz inside out and pulled back from the by-line, as Miretti at last chose the right finish, prodding in from six yards.
Baldanzi hit a fresh-air volley inside the box and Kenan Yildiz’s strike was deflected wide, but Lorenzo Pirola made a decisive block on Yardimci clear on goal.
The Azzurrini doubled their lead when a ball was flicked on from midfield, Nasti let it bounce twice while shaking off his marker and hit an extraordinary half-volley from midfield that caught the goalkeeper off his line.
Sebastian Desplanches fumbled the ball, but made up for it with a sensational reaction save on Demir Tiknaz from point-blank range.
Jacopo Fazzini almost got a third in stoppages on Zanotti’s assist, forcing a tricky save at the near post.
Turkey 0-2 Italy
Miretti 45 (I), Nasti 79 (I)
Turkey U21: Alemdar; U Yildiz, Saatci, Bayram, Ozcan (Aksoy 46); K Yildiz, Tiknaz, Elmaz (Canak 61), Potur (Beyaz 46); Destan (Gurluk 61), Yardimci (Turkmen 78)
Italy U21: Desplanches; Zanotti, Coppola, Pirola, Ruggieri; N’Dour, Prati, Casadei; Miretti (Bove 65); Baldanzi (Fazzini 89), Esposito (Nasti 65)