Italy 0-2 Belgium: Godts and Lukebakio Spoil Mancini's Return as Nations League Friday Delivers Upsets
Belgium won 2-0 in Rome to ruin Roberto Mancini's second debut as Italy coach, while Sweden, Ukraine and Northern Ireland also won on Friday.
Roberto Mancini's return as Italy head coach started with jeers at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday, 25 September. Belgium won 2-0 in Rome in UEFA Nations League League A, with Mika Godts and Dodi Lukebakio scoring either side of half-time to give new Belgium coach Mark van Bommel a winning start.
Match summary
- 20' – Mika Godts (0-1), assisted by Kevin De Bruyne
- 69' – Dodi Lukebakio (0-2)
Godts, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, scored his first international goal in the 20th minute after being set up by De Bruyne. Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made several important saves in the first half to keep the score down.
Belgium's second goal was the pick of the night. TNT Sports described substitute Lukebakio running from the halfway line, cutting inside Tonali and Maldini, and curling a low left-footed shot into the corner.
Italy made a triple substitution around the 65th-minute mark and pushed forward late on, with Scalvini heading over from close range, but they could not find a way back.
A difficult night for Mancini
This was Italy's first match since their World Cup play-off loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March, which meant the Azzurri missed the 2026 World Cup. Mancini returned to the job this summer after three years away, during which he coached Saudi Arabia.
The atmosphere reflected the mood. Only 47,155 fans turned up at the Olimpico, and the team was booed at full-time. Tempers flared late on, with both Donnarumma and Romelu Lukaku booked after a confrontation.
Mancini took the reaction calmly. "This is quite normal, you lose and the fans are disappointed and angry, that is part of the game," he said, as reported by The Daily Star.
He pointed to some positives in the second half, when Italy recovered better, and said his team needs to cut down on giveaways and keep the ball better. Defender Riccardo Calafiori was more blunt: "There's a lot of work to do."
Other Nations League results on Friday
League A
- Türkiye 0-1 France – Kylian Mbappé scored in Zinedine Zidane's first game in charge
League B
- Sweden 2-1 Romania – Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres scored for Sweden; Dennis Man replied
- Ukraine 1-0 Hungary – Danylo Sikan's first-half goal was enough
- Georgia 0-1 Northern Ireland – Shea Charles struck deep into stoppage time
League C
- Poland 0-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Armenia 2-0 Latvia
- Montenegro 2-1 Cyprus – Cyprus led through Marcus Edwards before Nikola Krstović and Milutin Osmajić turned it around
What's next for Italy and Belgium
Italy's upcoming fixtures in this phase include matches against Türkiye and France. Belgium host France in Brussels on Monday, when Zidane's side are expected to be without the injured Mbappé.
Key takeaways
- Belgium beat Italy 2-0 in Rome, with goals from Mika Godts (20') and Dodi Lukebakio (69').
- It was Roberto Mancini's first game back as Italy coach, and Italy's first since missing the World Cup.
- Just 47,155 fans attended and the team was booed off.
- Mark van Bommel made a winning start as Belgium coach.
- Sweden, Ukraine and Northern Ireland also picked up wins in League B.
FAQ
Who scored for Belgium against Italy? Mika Godts in the 20th minute and Dodi Lukebakio in the 69th minute.
Why is Italy's situation under pressure? Italy lost a World Cup play-off to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March and missed the 2026 World Cup. This was their first match since.
Who do Belgium play next? Belgium host France in Brussels on Monday.
Sources: TNT Sports, The Daily Star, Associated Press via The Messenger, 101 Great Goals