Roberto Mancini’s second spell as Italy manager begins in the worst possible way. At the Olimpico, Belgium win 2-0 on the opening day of the Nations League, showing greater quality and intensity from the start and forcing the Azzurri to chase for much of the evening.

Mancini immediately goes with some of his new faces. Alessandro Romano starts in midfield, while up front there is a trident formed by Cambiaghi, Pio Esposito and Kean. In defense, with Bastoni suspended, the central pairing is Mancini and Coppola.

Godts Opens the Scoring, Donnarumma Keeps Italy in the Game

Belgium don’t take long to seize control of the match. Mark van Bommel’s side move the ball quickly, especially taking advantage of the quality between the lines from De Bruyne and the liveliness of Mika Godts.

The talented Belgian puts his side ahead in the 20th minute, capping a start in which Italy struggle to cope with the pressure and create clear chances.

The best of the Azzurri in the first half is Gianluigi Donnarumma. The captain intervenes several times, including an important save on De Ketelaere, preventing Belgium from widening their advantage before halftime.

Italy Responds, Lukebakio Seals It

Italy’s attitude changes after the break. The Azzurri push higher up the pitch, increase the pressure and finally manage to create some dangerous situations. Mancini also tries to shake up the team with substitutions, seeking more freshness and unpredictability.

This is Italy’s best spell, but they lack final product in the decisive moments. And just when the Azzurri look like they might come back, the killer blow arrives.

In the 69th minute Dodi Lukebakio makes it 2-0, snuffing out the Italian reaction and allowing Belgium to comfortably manage the latter stages of the match.

Romano Starts Immediately, Signs from Doumbia and Zoma

The evening also served to observe some of Mancini’s new picks. Romano is thrown into the starting eleven right away, and it is he who commits the ‘fatal’ error on Belgium’s first goal, but he inevitably struggles in what is a tough night for the entire Italian midfield.

Minutes from the bench are given to some of the youngsters included by the head coach in this new project. Doumbia and Zoma try to inject more energy into the side late on, providing at least some encouraging signs in an otherwise insufficient collective performance.

No Time to Stop Now

The defeat is also damaging for the group standings. Beyond Belgium, Italy will also face Turkey and France, with four matches played across just eleven days. The top two in the group advance to the quarter-finals, while the last-placed team is relegated.

The next fixture is just around the corner: Monday, 28 September the Azzurri travel to Bursa to face Turkey. Mancini will have little time to make changes, but the first night of his return leaves some pretty clear indications.

Italy still need to find distances on the pitch, automatisms, and above all a greater ability to create danger. The new era has only just begun, but the 2-0 at the hands of Belgium is a reminder of how much work remains to be done.