ROME (AP) — Italy waited a long time for this European Championship to start and then showed just how eager the team was to play the tournament opener. The Italians began their first major international tournament in five years with a convincing 3-0 win over Turkey. Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne both scored after an own-goal from Turkey defender Merih Demiral had given Italy the lead. The victory extended Italy’s unbeaten run to 28 matches and boosted the Azzurri’s status as a title contender. The tournament is still being called Euro 2020 even though it began a year late because of the coronavirus pandemic.
