Italy: Buffon, Zaccardo, Cannavaro, Nesta, Grosso, Perotta, Pirlo, De Rossi, Totti (Camoranesi 55), Toni (Del Piero 81), Gilardino (Iaquinta 63).

Ghana: Kingson, Pantsil, Kuffour, Mensah, Pappoe (Illiasu 45), E.Addo, Essien, Appiah, Muntari, Gyan (Tachie-Mensah 88), Amoah (Pimpong 68).

What began as a decent contest ended with Ghana running out of ideas and close to losing all discipline as this game slipped away from them. In the end Italy will be glad to have the three points and hopeful that they have not suffered any serious injuries.

Tomorrow could be a busy day for their physio.

The first half was generally closely contested with both sides having attacking situations and chances. Italy always possessed the greater threat, however. Despite making chances Ghana never came close to convincing anyone that they might take one.

In the early stages it seemed as though the Ghana keeper Kingson might bring about a goal in one way or another. He was happy to come flying off his line at every set piece but rarely got anywhere near the ball. One way or another Ghana survived.

The keeper just about kept his side on terms after a dangerous Italian break, however. Totti, Pirlo and Perotta combined down the right and although Toni could not make contact in front of a gaping goal the ball ran on to Gilardino. From the angle he sent the ball back into the mixer and saw the ball rebound against the near post from Kingson's foot.

When the Italians decided against throwing a free kick into the big men they found Totti peeling away into space on the edge of the box. The playmaker was undone by a late bobble, however, and skied the ball miles over the bar.

Totti was the outstanding creative presence, however. He stretched the Ghana defence time and time again with first time passes and impudent flicks. He was seeing the picture seconds before anyone else on the pitch.

Ghana were threatening themselves at this stage though. The right back Pantsil drove forward to whip in a fine cross which Nesta cleared well infront of Amoah and then Cannavaro showed all his class in reading a dangerous situation and calmly denying Michael Essien a chance.

From another of Pantsil's centres Muntari blazed well over the bar.

The Italians were causing particular problems down the right and Perotta sent in Zaccardo to whip over a lovely ball which Toni and Totti contrived to miss and again Gilardino couldn't profit from beyond the far post.

The vaunted Toni, scorer of 30 Serie A goals this season had looked sluggish so far and had almost looked like he couldn't buy a goal until he suddenly exploded into life and immediately looked a real dangerman.

Bursting onto a flick by Gilardino he headed deftly away from Mensah before unleashing a fantastic drive on the bounce which slammed against the underside of the bar and bounced out.

This was actually the signal for Ghana to enjoy their best spell of the game but they would pay for not taking advantage of it.

Amoah had a chance after a speedy break but shot hopelessly wide from the angle before the Italians were caught in possession and Gyan was played into space on the right hand side of the area. Buffon looked to be struggling but the shot was always a yard wide.

Essien also fired well past the angle after forging onto another loose ball before the best chance of all came.

Appiah and Addo combined nicely to release Amoah. He looked to have spoiled the move before slipping possession back to Pantsil. Once again the full back supplied a fine cross which ended up at the feet of Pappoe, unmarked just beyond the far post. With three quarters of the goal to aim at he glided a shot well over.

Totti responded by sending in a vicious 40 yard free kick which Kingson tipped over and Cannavaro looped a scruffy header onto the top of the bar when the keeper again came and missed from the corner.

With half time approaching Italy broke the deadlock. A corner was knocked back to Pirlo on the left hand angle of the box. Two Ghanaians approached but in no great hurry and the Italian had time to line up his drive before sending it low through the crowded box into the far bottom corner. It looked as though people were actively clearing a path for it.

As Totti continued to pull all the strings for the Italians Grosso was suddenly in on goal but his effort lacked conviction and Kingson kept his side in it by blocking at his near post.

Half Time: Italy 1 Ghana 0

The second half was an anti climax as only one team really carried a threat and Ghana threatened to turn the night sour with some extremely suspect challenges.

Pappoe was replaced at half time by Illiasu who gave a remarkably inept display at left back.

Immediately all semblance of organisation looked to have gone from the Ghana defence. Italy were in with a two on one but Perotta's ball was poor and allowed Kingson to collect infront of Toni. Then Totti shredded the defence to feed Gilardino and Kingson denied his low drive with his feet.

Michael Essien, who was a trojan in midfield but had no help from those ahead of him, tested Buffon with a well struck effort from distance but the save was not taxing.

Then Totti collapsed in a heap after Pantsil managed to tread on his standing leg. It looked clumsy rather than malicious but the temperament of the Ghanaians was beginning to look suspect. Totti was immediately withdrawn and we can only hope it was as a precaution.

The Italians broke away down the right and Toni headed straight at Kingson. Within seconds Ghana had given it away again and still they had no-one patrolling the right flank. This time De Rossi had the chance but sent his header wide.

The Italians were now picking holes in the Ghana defence at will and it was a mystery as to how the score was only one.

Camoranesi skipped past another ridiculously incompetent challenge by Illiasu to cross for Perotta but his header was poor and allowed Kingson an easy save. The same player was being offered another chance moments later by De Rossi but his shot to the near post again allowed a comfortable save.

The offside flag then saved Ghana as Italy failed to make a three on two situation count while Ghana claimed a penalty when Gyan went down after wriggling away from a couple of challenges. There had been a nibble but it did not look concrete.

Then came a bizarre and unpleasant incident. A couple of one touch passes from Toni and Pirlo sent Iaquinta away through the middle. A very dubious offside flag went up and everyone stopped bar for the striker and Samuel Kuffour. Just as Iaquinta was approaching the box Kuffour took him out from behind with a horrible raking challenge.

The referee chose not to punish the defender as the whistle had already gone but the act had been deliberate and surely the fact that the game had stopped makes no difference. You can't just go around raking your studs down peoples' achilles.

Iaquinta departed on a stretcher but happily was soon back in the action.

Essien was shooting more often now as he began to despair at those infront of him but whereas his foraging and linking of play is first rate his shooting is not his strong point and Buffon could still happily chomp on his cigar.

With just under ten minutes remaining the Italians finally put the game to bed. The dreadful Muntari gave away possession with typical ease and when the ball was played forward Kuffour completely fluffed his ball back to Kingson which left Iaquinta the simple task of sweeping past the stranded keeper and tapping into the empty net.

All that remained was for the Italians to get through the remaining minutes unscathed which was easier said than done. Lunging tackles and stray arms were not uncommon during the late stages and it will be interesting to see if FIFA take any action after the event.

Their directives have been well received by the players and well applied by the officials up to now but Ghana seemed to overstep the mark.

Making an example of Kuffour, for instance, could just nip a possible change of attitude in the bud. We shall see.

Full Time: Italy 2 Ghana 0

Italy: Buffon 6, Zaccardo 7, Cannavaro 9, Nesta 6, Grosso 5, Perotta 7, Pirlo 6, De Rossi 6, Totti 8 (Camoranesi 7), Toni 7 (Del Piero 4), Gilardino 6 (Iaquinta 7).

Ghana: Kingson 7, Pantsil 7, Kuffour 4, Mensah 6, Pappoe 4 (Illiasu 0), E.Addo 3, Essien 8, Appiah 7, Muntari 2, Gyan 3, Amoah 3 (Pimpong 1).

Referee: C.Simon (Brazil) 7
Got just about all the decisions right but maybe could have got heavy handed with Ghana towards the end. It's not often you moan about the ref not being strict enough but things were threatening to get out of hand in the closing stages.
Perhaps the toughest game to ref so far, though, and he basically did well.

Good:
Totti looked in fine form and hopefully will be right for the rest of the tournament. The phrase "candy from a baby" comes to mind thinking about Cannavaro's performance, however.

Bad:
About half the Ghana side, and their substitutes were abysmal. They are being carried by half a dozen players at the most. And most of those are Michael Essien.

Ugly:
Kuffour's outrageous assault on Iaquinta when play wasn't actually going on anymore. Not pleasant.