Soccer:Giovanni Trapattoni had no mixed feelings after seeing his Republic of Ireland side condemn native country Italy to defeat. Goals from Keith Andrews and substitute Simon Cox secured an impressive 2-0 win over the Italians in Liege and extended the manager's unbeaten run against the side he once managed to three games.

Italy edged Ireland into second place in the last World Cup qualifying campaign but could only draw with them home and away, and but for a late Alberto Gilardino equaliser in Dublin, Trapattoni would not have had to wait quite so long to taste victory against them.

But he was adamant he had no qualms about ruining the evening for his compatriots and his former player at Juventus, Cesare Prandelli, the current national coach.

“I knew this question was going to come up," Trapattoni said. "For those who know me, they know I want to win all the time, even if I am playing darts. We have been very unlucky in the past against Italy, but that doesn’t mean I came into this game with a sense of revenge against my own country.”

An Italy team featuring big names Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Pirlo and Giuseppe Rossi dominated possession against a largely second-string Republic, but could not trouble keeper David Forde throughout.

The Millwall man was superbly protected by the men in front of him as Ireland drew the sting before edging their way in front with Andrews’ 36th-minute piledriver.

It was backs-to-the wall once again after the break but, as the Italians laboured without reward, Cox made sure at the death when he turned home Stephen Hunt’s pinpoint cross.

Trapattoni said: “We won this match because of our attitude, because of our mentality, because of the way in which we played. The lads have finally understood that in order to achieve a result this is the way to play, with this mentality and with this attitude on the pitch.

“As I always say to you, if I want to see a show, I will go to the theatre. But football is about getting results.”

Cox, whose strike was his second in four appearances for his country, was delighted for himself, his team-mates and especially his manager.

He said: “I think it meant a lot to the manager tonight, so whoever was going to come in was going to put in a terrific grafting performance for him and for their own personal performances anyway.

“You could just see it in his eyes and the way he did his pre-match talk and everything, you could see how much the fire was burning inside him and that he wanted to put in a good performance.”

By contrast, Prandelli was not a happy man as he reflected on an unexpected defeat.

He said: “This game was a serious step back. We made mistakes because the team couldn’t understand the method of play. But it’s better to lose in an international friendly than in a qualifier.

“If we have to lose, it’s better to lose to Trap.”