Andrea Pirlo scored one and set up another - Vincenzo Iaquinta's
first Azzurri goal - as Italy begin their World Cup beating Ghana 2-
0.

The Azzurri opened their World Cup campaign in Hanover against
Finals debutants Ghana. With Gennaro Gattuso and Gianluca Zambrotta
injured, Marcello Lippi decided to risk Francesco Totti from the
start less than four months after he fractured his ankle. The
Giallorossi captain was sporting a new short hair cut for the
tournament. Surprisingly, Mauro Camoranesi was dropped in favour of
Roma's Simone Perrotta in a three-man midfield. Alessandro Nesta
recovered from a muscular problem to start.

Ghana have on paper one of the strongest midfields in the
competition, with Michael Essien of Chelsea, former Juve man Stephen
Appiah and Udinese's Sulley Ali Muntari. Roma's Sami Kuffour and
Gyan Asamoah of Modena also featured.

Fabio Grosso's cross was charged down for a corner following a good
link-up between Roma teammates Totti and De Rossi. From the
resulting corner, Perrotta's strike was also parried by defenders,
as goalkeeper Richard Kingston didn't look at all secure from set-
pieces. At the end of a sustained period of pressure, Fabio
Cannavaro nodded over from another set-piece.

De Rossi was booked after 10 minutes for a foul on Essien on the
edge of the area. He made up for the error by charging down Appiah's
set-piece and launching a counter-attack, but both Toni and
Gilardino couldn't quite finish off Totti's cross and at the Milan
man's effort, Kingston managed to deflect it on to the upright with
his ankle.

Gilardino just failed to latch on to another splendid Totti through
ball, then the Roma captain blasted over the bar as Andrea Pirlo
surprised the defence by rolling a free kick across.

Nesta got his head to John Paintsil's cross to take it away from
Borussia Dortmund forward Mathhew Amoah.

Italy continued to create the best chances and Cristian Zaccardo's
floated assist went past everyone in the centre before it was
deflected out for another corner. Pirlo intercepted a ball in
midfield and sparked the attack with an acrobatic John Mensah
clearance stopping Totti's chipped pass from reaching Gilardino.

There were timid penalty appeals for a handling offence on Italy's
sixth corner in the opening 25 minutes, but Grosso's slip prompted
some chaotic defending on Paintsil's cross.

The Azzurri rattled the frame of the goal for the second time with a
fantastic team move. Toni flicked on Totti's pass with his head to
get past his marker and thumped a scorching right-foot half-volley
that slammed the crossbar and bounced off the ground to a grateful
Ghanaian defender.

Ghana also threatened as the game opened up with two long-range
shots whistling wide from Amoah and another for Chelsea star Essien.
A cross was deflected into the path of Emmanuel Pappoe, who blazed
over under pressure from Zaccardo.

Totti brought a fine save out of Kingston with a touched-on free
kick palmed over from all of 35 metres. From the resulting Pirlo
corner kick, Cannavaro's header settled on to the roof of the net.
Toni's timid angled drive was gathered, but Nesta intercepted an
Appiah cross-field pass for the totally unmarked Amoah on the
counter-attack with his heel.

Toni drove Mensah mad with some smart footwork, earning yet another
corner kick. This time the Azzurri made the set-piece count, as it
came out to Pirlo for a fierce and true angled drive that slotted
into the far corner through a sea of legs.

Straight after play resumed, Muntari was booked for hacking down
Totti from behind. Grosso combined with Totti out wide on the left,
but tried to shoot from an acute angle rather than cross for the
unmarked Toni in the centre.

Ghana made a half-time change with Shilla Alhassan Illiasu replacing
Pappoe in defence. The Azzurri threatened on the counter-attack
after the restart with Perrotta setting up Toni, but goalkeeper
Kingston was alert to the danger and intercepted.

Totti threaded through for Gilardino and his low drive was kept out
by the goalkeeper's legs at the near post in another good chance for
Italy. Totti's first time pass sent Toni running, but again Kingston
showed composure to rush out and clear outside his area.

Gianluigi Buffon's first real intervention came on 53 minutes, when
flying to his right to palm out an Essien rocket from distance on
the half-volley.

Totti was in some pain after Paintsil accidentally trod on his left
ankle and he left the field for Camoranesi as a precautionary
measure, switching to a 4-4-2.

Toni's header was comfortably held and De Rossi also nodded wide
from Camoranesi's cross, while Kuffour cleared with some difficulty
after another less than secure Kingston exit. After just 11 minutes
on the pitch, Camoranesi was booked for a foul on Muntari.

The Azzurri were under pressure now and seemed to sit back a little
too much hoping to hit Ghana on the counter-attack, as Essien
drilled wide from distance and Modena striker Asamoah saw yellow for
a lunging tackle on Pirlo.

Vincenzo Iaquinta replaced Gilardino to give them more bulk upfront,
while Ghana threw on Razak Pimpong for Amoah.

Perrotta's header from Camoranesi's centre wasn't strong enough to
trouble Kingston, but moments later the Roma midfielder brought a
tough save out of the goalkeeper after De Rossi had won back the
ball in midfield.

Another promising counter-attack was halted for Iaquinta's offside
position just past the halfway line with a clear run on goal.

Ghana had a great chance on 71 minutes when the Italian defence
seemed to be taken by surprise and Asamoah fell under a possible
push from De Rossi on the six-yard box, but the Brazilian referee
waved play on.

Iaquinta was again halted for an offside position, but after play
had been stopped, Kuffour hacked him down from behind. The Udinese
striker was left clutching his right ankle and, had play continued,
Kuffour might've been on the end of a red card. He was stretchered
off, but was able to continue after treatment.

Ghana wanted a penalty when Asamoah burst between three players just
inside the area, but the referee wagged his finger. The Modena
striker was already on a booking, but avoided a second for
simulation.

Perrotta won back the ball again and found Iaquinta unmarked, but
his side-footed pass for Toni was far too weak and easily
intercepted. Essien drilled wide from distance again and Alessandro
Del Piero - who had been expected to start this match - replaced
Toni to move Iaquinta into the centre.

Italy were hanging on under pressure from Ghana, but a defensive
howler allowed them to double their lead. Roma defender Sami Kuffour
was caught by surprise on Pirlo's through ball, under-hitting his
backpass, as Iaquinta sprinted round the stranded goalkeeper and
deposited into an empty net. It was the Udinese hitman's first ever
Azzurri goal.

The Africans were shaken, but Essien kept pushing and Appiah's shot
was charged down by Cannavaro in stoppages. Iaquinta foolishly
earned a booking by kicking the ball away.




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Italy: Buffon; Zaccardo, Nesta, Cannavaro, Grosso; Perrotta, Pirlo,
De Rossi; Totti (Camoranesi 55); Toni (Del Piero 82), Gilardino
(Iaquinta 64)

Ghana: Kingston; Paintsil, Kuffour, Pappoe (Illiasu 46), Mensah;
Essien, Appiah, Muntari, E Addo; Amoah (Pimpong 68), Asamoah (Tachie-
Mensah 88)

Ref: Simon (Bra)