Italy get campaign off to perfect start against gallant Ghana

Italy 2 Ghana 0

AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo opened the scoring after 39 minutes before substitute Vincenzo Iaquinta put the game beyond their African opponents with eight minutes remaining.

The Azzurri looked by far the more incisive team and Marcello Lippi’s men could have won by a bigger advantage had Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingston not stood strong to deny attacking duo Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino on several occasions. They were also thankful for goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who held firm when Ghana drove on in search of an equaliser before Iaquinta scored Italy’s second.