Reward for being brave and positive

Perhaps the most revealing moment in this impressive Italian win came in the 82nd minute when Italian coach Marcello Lippi brought off striker Luca Toni, replacing him with another striker in Alessandro Del Piero. Four years ago, in a similar situation against South Korea, it had been Del Piero who had been taken off by then coach Giovanni Trapattoni to be replaced by defensive midfielder Gennaro Gattuso.

This time, however, Lippi stuck to his attacking guns. With Ghana not only tiring but also pushing forward in a desperate search for an equaliser, a second Italian goal was there for the taking and it duly came just one minute later when Sammy Kuffour's forced error sent Vincenzo Iaquinta away for the goal that wrapped it up. Fortune favours the brave.

Generally, as Italian beginnings go, this was about as good as it gets. Lippi had promised his side would be positive and so it proved against a lively Ghana inspired, as expected, by the midfield power, pace and skills of Sully Muntari, Stephane Appiah and Michael Essien.

Dame Fortune, too, smiled on Italy because they got that vital opening goal from Pirlo at a moment that was doubly damaging to the Ghanian cause, coming just before half-time and during a period when Ghana were every bit as much in the game as the Azzurri.

It was significant, too, that Italy came back out in the second half looking to win the game, rather than sit back and play a cliched Italian counter-attacking game. Long before Iaquinta wrapped it up, Italy had come close to scoring the second goal, particularly through Simone Perrotta in the 66th minute. Unlike England, The Netherlands and Portugal in recent days, Italy were able to go beyond a 1-0 scoreline and what is more, were good value for their 2-0 final win.

The good news for Italy after this result is that things can only get better from here on in. For a start, given all that has happened with the corruption scandal back home, Italy came into the game under huge pressure that will be lifted when they play their second group game against the USA in Kaiserslautern on Saturday.

For a second, key players like Gattuso and defender Gianluca Zambrotta will be back before the first round is out. Thirdly, if Totti continues to make the improvement shown last night as compared to two friendly games two weeks ago, then he too could become a crucial factor in a potential Italian success story. Seconds after the match, Lippi suggested that the injury picked up by Totti following a tackle from John Pantsl was not serious.

After the first half, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said that Italy had played the best football seen so far at Germany 2006. That may or may not be. What is certain is that Italy have started well, will get better and now look like justifying their position amongst the ante-post tournament favourites.