Esposito brothers become first siblings to start for Italy since 1915

BURSA, Turkiye — Pio Esposito was joined by older brother Sebastiano in the starting lineup for Italy's Nations League match in Turkiye on Monday, marking the first time two brothers have started for the Azzurri in more than a century.

It was an international debut for the 24-year-old Sebastiano Esposito, while the 21-year-old Pio had played 10 times for Italy, scoring five goals.

Pio added another goal and an assist in a dominant 4-1 victory, while Sebastiano also came close on several occasions.

"I remember well my first time for the senior Italy side, as it was only last year, so I tried not to add any more pressure onto his shoulders. I hope he enjoyed it to the max," Pio said. "It was really wonderful sharing this experience with him, and I hope to do so many more times."

They were the fourth set of brothers to play in the same match for Italy, including Filippo and Simone Inzaghi in 2000.

However, the last time two brothers started the same match was in 1915, when Aldo and Luigi Cevenini both scored in a 3-1 victory over Switzerland.

Moreover, Sebastiano completes a hat-trick of Esposito brothers to have played for Italy.

Salvatore Esposito, the oldest brother at 25, featured in one match in 2022.

It is the first time that three brothers have played for Italy at senior level.

Pio had a breakout season with Inter Milan last season, while Sebastiano joined Sassuolo on loan from Cagliari in the summer.

Italy was much improved after kicking off its Nations League campaign with a 2-0 loss at home to Belgium on Sept 25, in Roberto Mancini's first match back in charge.

"These boys deserved the win, especially with what so many have been saying over the past three days," Mancini said.

"They didn't deserve that kind of talk. We are on a long journey. Besides the victory itself, the boys did some really good things."

Brentford defender Michael Kayode scored one goal and set up another in an impressive Italy debut for the 22-year-old.

Italy took the lead with less than nine minutes on the clock when Turkish defender Zeki Celik scuffed an attempted clearance on a corner and the ball fell to Alessandro Bastoni, who swept it into the roof of the net.

It was a sort of redemption for Bastoni, who was sent off in the first half of Italy's World Cup qualifying playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina — which the Azzurri went on to lose on penalties.

Davide Frattesi doubled Italy's lead in the 22nd minute, tapping in the rebound after Kayode's shot had been parried by Turkiye goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, following a well-worked team move by Italy.

Kayode got on the scoresheet five minutes later, following a similar move, with Pio sending him clear to fire into the bottom right corner.

It was the first time in five years that Italy scored three goals in the opening half-hour of a competitive match.

Italy will no doubt face a much tougher test in its next match, however, when it plays France away on Friday in what will be a homecoming for new Les Bleus coach Zinedine Zidane.

In his second game in charge, Zidane saw his team — without the injured Kylian Mbappe — snatch a 1-0 win away to Belgium.

Zidane's epic celebration

France dominated and hit the woodwork twice, but needed a stunning, late goal from substitute Michael Olise to finally break the deadlock.

France was without Mbappe, who has already returned to Real Madrid, after limping off with an injury to his left knee moments after scoring a record-extending 67th goal for his country in France's 1-0 victory over Turkiye on Sept 25.

It needed something special to break the Belgians down and it came two minutes from time, when Olise — who had only come on in the 75th minute — received the ball inside his own half and sprinted down the right before cutting in and driving into the bottom left corner.

Zidane celebrated by running down the touchline screaming, before fiercely kicking a ball that was in his path.

"I went along with the play — I wanted to be part of it," Zidane said with a smile. "I saw him go on a dribbling run and thought to myself: 'He's going to score!' I was fully behind him, anyway."

Zidane had made nine changes to his starting lineup, including handing debuts to Jeremy Jacquet, Andy Diouf and Lucas Da Cunha.

Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a number of important saves, while Desire Doue hit the crossbar in the 12th minute and Da Cunha saw a fierce effort from 25 yards come off the post.

"We need a rest now. We have done a lot of traveling and not much training or resting," said Zidane. "We were really good in every department, against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer. We held out, we played really well, and we were brave.

"We had some difficulties in the second half at times, but that was to be expected with all the changes we made. I think we dominated the game. Overall, we deserved to win and we got the goal towards the end."

After Friday's match with Italy at the Stade de France, Les Bleus entertain Belgium next Monday, while Italy hosts Turkiye next Tuesday.