ROME, Italy – Roberto Mancini’s second tenure as head coach of the Italian national team commenced on a bitterly disappointing note on Friday evening as the Azzurri suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Belgium in their UEFA Nations League Group A opener at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, international sports correspondents reported on Friday night, September 25, 2026.
Before kickoff, both squads observed a solemn minute of silence in memory of legendary former AC Milan and Italy captain Franco Baresi, setting an emotional atmosphere for Mancini’s first competitive fixture in charge of the national team since his resignation in August 2023.
Okay News reports that Mancini was forced to navigate extensive squad depletion, with Alessandro Bastoni serving a suspension while injuries sidelined key regulars including Federico Dimarco, Bryan Cristante, Nicolò Zaniolo, and Marco Palestra, prompting Riccardo Calafiori to slot into the left-back berth and handing an international debut to former Swiss youth international Alessandro Romano.
Belgium, also inaugurating a new managerial cycle under former Dutch international Mark van Bommel, proved sharper in transition despite missing Leandro Trossard, Jérémy Doku, and Amadou Onana, relying on the playmaking vision of captain Kevin De Bruyne and an energetic forward line.
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a sharp early save to deny an angled effort from Charles De Ketelaere in the seventh minute, but the visitors capitalized on defensive hesitation to break the deadlock midway through the first half.
An errant distribution from Romano in the 20th minute was intercepted by the Belgian midfield, allowing De Bruyne to slide a weighted pass into the path of Mika Godts, who cut inside center-back Gianluca Mancini before beating Donnarumma with a low finish inside the near post.
Belgium continued to threaten on the counter-attack, forcing Donnarumma into an extraordinary double save against De Ketelaere and Nicolas Raskin, while Godts saw a glancing header palmed away before the interval.
Italy emerged with greater attacking urgency following the restart, with Moise Kean testing Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from six yards out before strike partner Francesco Pio Esposito saw a close-range redirection turned behind at the near post.
However, as the hosts committed numbers forward in search of an equalizer, Belgium delivered a decisive counter-attacking blow in the 69th minute.
Sevilla winger Dodi Lukebakio collected the ball deep inside his own half, drove unchallenged toward the edge of the Italian penalty box, and curled a precise left-footed strike beyond Donnarumma’s reach into the far bottom corner.
Mancini introduced late debutants Momo Zoma and Issa Doumbia to spark a late rally, but fortune deserted the hosts in the closing stages when defender Giorgio Scalvini smashed a loose corner against the underside of the crossbar from point-blank range.
The result leaves Italy anchored to the foot of their Nations League section ahead of Monday’s home encounter against Turkey, while Van Bommel’s Belgium travel to Brussels to host France in an early showdown for control of the group.
