Italy defeated African first-timers Ghana 2-0 in an exciting Group E fixture in Hanover last night as the Azzurri got their FIFA World Cup campaign off to the best possible start. A Ghana team making their FIFA World Cup debut contributed richly to the spectacle but Italy's greater know-how told as they won through goals from Andrea Pirlo and substitute Vincenzo Iaquinta.

After both sides had missed a succession of chances, Pirlo broke the deadlock with a shot through a crowded penalty area after 40 minutes. Iaquinta sealed the win after latching onto Samuel Kuffour's underhit back-pass with seven minutes remaining.

The Match

8': Italy rattled Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingston with an early series of crosses and corners, culminating in defender Fabio Cannavaro heading the ball over the crossbar.

11': The Ghana captain Stephen Appiah had a free-kick on the edge of the penalty box in a promising position, but he struck it straight into Italy's wall. The Italians immediately launched a counterattack and when Luca Toni missed from point-blank range, the ball broke to Alberto Gilardino. He managed to squirm a shot through Kingston's legs but it trickled towards goal and hit the post before going out for another corner.

16': Francesco Totti, back in the Italian national side after recovering from a broken leg, was almost unrecognisable with his new close-cropped haircut and there was an unfamiliar look to his first proper shot as it missed the target by some distance.

18': Italy's Alessandro Nesta had to climb high to flick the ball away from Borussia Dortmund striker Matthew Amoah, who would have had a free header on goal if Michael Essien's cross had managed to reach him.

27': Toni smacked a thundering shot against Ghana's crossbar and John Mensah chested the rebound back to Kingston to relieve the pressure.

30': Essien charged towards the Italian penalty area and launched a powerful strike which just missed Gianluigi Buffon’s right-hand goal-post, matching a similar effort made by Asamoah Gyan just moments earlier from the opposite flank.
 

33': Totti found his range from 25 metres with a free-kick that stung Kingston's fingertips before it went over. Not for the first time, the Ghana keeper came out to meet the resulting corner and missed it, but Cannavaro's header landed on the top of the net.

40': Italy's tenth corner was played short to Pirlo who sent a scorching shot through a crowd of bodies to finally beat Kingston right in the corner (1-0).

45': Kingston does well to block a goalbound effort by Fabio Grosso.

53': Kingston had to rush out of his area to deny Toni and the Ankaraspor goalkeeper did well to lift the ball over his head and allow John Pantsil to bring it to safety. Ghana’s Essien brought the best out of Buffon, who had to dive at full stretch to his right to beat away a forceful drive from 20 metres out by the Chelsea midfielder.

64': With Italy less dominant than in the first half and the passionate Ghanaian contingent in full voice, Essien threatened again but this time he dragged his effort well wide after bursting forward.

67': As play flowed freely from end to end, Simone Perrotta tested Kingston with a shot from inside the area. Kingston will have gained great confidence from a strong save which denied the Roma midfielder, who appeared set to extend Italy’s lead.

79': Gyan had the Italian defence in knots with a twisting, turning run just outside the area. As he tried to move into the box, the Modena striker tumbled over the legs of two defenders but Brazilian referee Carlos Simon waved play on.

83': A mistake by the last defender Kuffour gifted Italy their second goal as he sold his goalkeeper short with a back-pass and substitute Iaquinta was only too grateful to latch onto it and round Kingston before sliding the ball into an empty net (2-0).

Italy thus got the better of Ghana in another entertaining, free-flowing contest, but the Africans acquitted themselves extremely well in their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup and a second-half equaliser always looked possible until Iaquinta finished them off.