Pio Esposito scored after 11 minutes to give Italy an early lead in Brussels, but Roberto Mancini’s side collapsed to a 4:1 defeat against Belgium and crashed out of the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals on Sunday.
The heavy loss dropped the Azzurri from first place down to third in Group A1 with 10 points, while France secured the group victory by beating Turkey 2:1 in Bordeaux, as reported by International | ligaportal.at.
Italy arrived at the King Baudouin Stadium holding the top spot in the group following a 3:1 win over France in Milan days earlier. Nicolo Fagioli, Niccolo Pisilli, and Michael Kayode created early pressure before Kayode delivered a corner that Esposito turned in for the opening goal.
The advantage lasted only four minutes. Maxim de Cuyper equalized for Belgium in the 15th minute by forcing the ball over the line.
Mark van Bommel’s team capitalized on defensive lapses to dismantle the visitors before halftime. Nathan Ngoy bundled in a second goal from a corner in the 22nd minute, and Jeremy Doku extended the lead to 3:1 four minutes later.
Kevin De Bruyne hit the goalframe before the break, denied only when Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped his effort onto the post.
Belgium maintained the tempo after the interval. De Bruyne and Charles De Ketelaere missed further chances before Diego Moreira scored the fourth goal in the 80th minute.
Esposito missed a chance to reduce the deficit in stoppage time when he shot wide from a hand penalty awarded in the 90th+1 minute.
In the group’s other fixture, France dominated possession against Turkey in Bordeaux, though visiting goalkeeper Berke Özer stopped attempts from Adrien Rabiot, Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola, and Kylian Mbappe in the first half.
France broke through in the 49th minute when Emirhan Topcu deflected a Cherki corner and Rabiot header into his own net. After a VAR review disallowed an equalizer by Arda Güler, Cherki set up Eli Junior Kroupi for a second French goal in the 80th minute.
Abdülkerim Bardakci scored a late header for Turkey in the 90th minute, but France held on to finish first in the group with 13 points ahead of Belgium with 12.
Belgium advances to the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, while Turkey drops directly to League B without a point.
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