Turkey 0 Italy 3 LIVE REACTION: Immobile and Insigne torment Turks as Azzurri make terrific start to Euro 2020 challenge

ARRIVEDERCI

It’s advantage Azzurri after an exhilarating opening night of the European Championships.

Roberto Mancini’s team were adventurous, energetic, and, eventually, prolific in front of goal, dismantling Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico.

Their 3-0 win will not only have had Wales and Switzerland – the other sides in Group A – sitting up, but the rest of Europe too. More performances like that and this may well be Italy’s year.

A brilliant beginning to this delayed tournament will be built on tomorrow with three more games. The day starts with the aforementioned Welsh and Swiss facing off in Baku before Poland take on Slovakia and Belgium meet Russia.

Be sure to follow them all with us. Goodnight.

RELIVE THE OPENER

Caught your breath yet? Or perhaps you missed the game? Now’s your chance to catch up on the action with Phil Thomas’ match report from Rome.

Roberto Mancini had vowed that his Italy side would be the great entertainers of these Euros… and boy, weren’t they true to his word.

COLD TURKEY

Turkey were talked about by some as dark horses ahead of the tournament, but Senol Gunes’ side were poor this evening as they were caught cold by the energetic Italians.

However, the Crescent-Stars shouldn’t despair. They’re used to starting slowly at international tournaments.

AZZURRI GO GOAL CRAZY

Not only have Italy scored more than two goals in a European Championship game for the very first time, they’re now responsible for the biggest margin of victory in an opening match in the competition’s history.

FT: TURKEY 0-3 ITALY

The Italian players celebrate together, and then with their fans, following an impressive display in Rome. In fact, the scenes at the final whistle are almost reflective of a side that has won the tournament rather than just one victorious in the opening game. Perhaps it’s due to the manner of the display, a thoroughly dominant performance throughout in which the Azzurri matched their intensity of the first half with goals in the second. Immobile and Insigne were the men on target after an earlier own-goal from Demiral. The rest of Europe, take note.

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE FINAL WHISTLE GOES IN ROME!

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90+2. Two minutes into three minutes of stoppage time, and finally it’s time for Chiellini to show off his years of experience.

The veteran Italian captain reacts brilliantly as Yilmaz escapes into the box, and somehow gets a foot in to block as the striker lets fly.

“For him, that’s as good as a goal,” says Guy Mowbray as Chiellini is congratulated by his teammates.

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90. Turkish frustrations are growing.

Dervisoglu is the second player cautioned for a completely unnecessary and cynical sliding tackle from behind on Belotti. Typical Brentford.

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87. With three minutes remaining, Soyuncu picks up the game’s – and the tournament’s – first yellow card, and it can hardly be a surprise to anyone who has caught the last 15 minutes of this contest.

The Leicester defender is cautioned for catching Bernardeschi with a leading arm.

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85. A fifth and final change for the Italians.

Federico Benardeschi is on as Domenico Berardi takes a breather.

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82. Some frustration and tiredness creeps into Soyuncu’s play as he clatters into Belotti. It’s some welcome for the Torino striker.

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80. The goal is Insigne’s last act as he takes his leave for Federico Chiesa. Also off is Immobile, replaced by Andrea Belottti.

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79. He tried it twice in the first half without success, but now Lorenzo Insigne gets his curler spot on – and finds the net to make it 3-0!

It’s a disaster for goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, who spoons a clearance straight to an Italian attacker, and it’s from that point which the Azzurri go to work.

The ball is moved twice from right to left, and then again by Ciro Immobile, who plays the balls neatly into the path of Insigne on the run. The Napoli man keeps his cool, and whips a finish into the far corner.

GOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!
LORENZO INSIGNE CURLS IN FOR THREE!!

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78. Panic inside the Turkey defence as Soyuncu and Meras both fail to connect with Cristante’s cross from the left.

Immobile is slow to react, bus his embarrassment – and that of the Turkey defenders – is spared by an incorrect offside call.

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76. And now another change for Turkey.

Halil Dervisoglu of Brentford – fans of the Bees should think of him as a 21st century Denny Mundee – is on for Kenan Karaman.

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74. A chance for the Azzurri as Bryan Cristante comes on for his country at his home stadium. The Roma midfielder replaces Manuel Locatelli.

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72. The Italians are enjoying themselves now, and it shows. Barella goes on a mazy run through the Turkish midfield that only ends after the Inter man takes one touch too many.

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69. After a season of football often played at a slow pace inside empty stadiums, the intensity with which tonight has unfolded has been a real surprise.

And not just to me. I dare say those in the Wales and Switzerland camps will have taken note of this contest too.

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66. The double change brings a goal, but not in the net Turkey would have desired.

As the pressure continues, Leonardo Spinazzola forces Ugurcan Cakir into a fine save with a low shot, but no-one can deny Ciro Immobile as he follows up to convert confidently from close range. A real poacher’s effort!

Italy are a deserved two goals in front, and are looking good.

GOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLL!!
CIRO IMMOBILE MAKES IT TWO!!

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64. Senol Gunes makes a double substitution with Irfan Kahveci and Kaan Ayhan on for Okay Yokuslu and Ozan Tufan.

It means the entirety of Turkey’s starting midfield three have been replaced, which is testament to how much work they’ve had to do in an attempt to keep pace with the Italians.

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62. Roberto Mancini’s jacket is off. Stuff just got serious.

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60. I suppose this is one way for Italy to deal with the problem of their misfiring strikers.

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59. Not for the first time, Berardi’s teammates state down the Sassuolo man with arms outstretched after watching their teammate fire a shot wide.