22 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.yahoo.com



Italy secured their qualification for the Round of 16 as Group E winners after beating the Czech Republic 2-0 in Hamburg on Thursday, 22 June 2006.
Marcello Lippi's side will face the second-placed team from Group F in Kaiserslautern on 26 June. The Czechs, who head home early after finishing third in the group, played the whole second half with ten men after the dismissal of Jan Polak moments before the break following a second yellow card.

Marco Materazzi, an early replacement for the injured Alessandro Nesta, put the Azzurri on course for victory when he headed past Petr Cech in the 26th minute and his fellow substitute Filippo Inzaghi sealed the three points three minutes from the end.




26': A goal against the run of play as Francesco Totti floated a corner to the far post where Materazzi, who had been on the field only eight minutes, rose majestically to direct his header inside Petr Cech's near post. (0-1)



87': Inzaghi made up for that miss with the second goal four minutes later. The Czechs were caught pushing forward and a counterattack found Inzaghi racing clear from the halfway line. Inzaghi powered on, rounded Cech and, ignoring the chance to release his fellow susbtitute Simone Barone, he made the game safe for Italy. (0-2)