Unimpressive Italy fail to score against Turkey

Italy failed to find the back of the net against Turkey in an international friendly on Tuesday night as they prepare for the 2024 European Championship in Germany.

Many expected such a performance, which would see many players tired, as they couldn’t get eleven days of rest after the end of a regular season.

Even Atalanta, who won the Europa League just forward, ended their season on Sunday in a game against the Europa Conference League runners-up.

The only bright moment for the Azzurri was when Bryan Cristante hit the woodwork as Luciano Spalletti was left with more questions than answers after the game.

The Azzurri will have another test match ahead of the Euros when they play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday, June 9. 

Lorenzo Pellegrini’s free kick went wide, and Guglielmo Vicario rescued Italy from conceding in his second cap when he ran out into midfield to nod it clear.

Mateo Retegui couldn’t connect with Federico Dimarco’s corner, but Turkey went closer. Kaan Ayhan turned a free header over from Calhanoglu’s set play.

As both teams made some changes during halftime, the substitutes made the difference immediately.

Andrea Cambiaso released a cross from the right, but the Pellegrini diving header failed to connect and ricocheted wide off Mattia Zaccagni’s knee.

Again, Retegui couldn’t use a Dimarco cross as he shot straight at the goalkeeper. He then attempted an over-ambitious over-head kick from the Pellegrini cross.

Vicario was called into action when he had a tricky save from the corner flicked on for Merih Demiral’s volley at the back post, while Cambiaso’s first touch was poorer on an intelligent cross.

Giacomo Raspadori could have scored with the last kick of the game when he gathered the ball from Cambiaso’s roll across, but the goalkeeper smothered the shot.