Euro 2000 Group B - Italy 2 Sweden 1

Alessandro Del Piero confirmed Italy's position at the top of Euro 2000 Group B with an excellent left foot finish to beat Sweden at Eindhoven.

Italy made eight changes from the team that beat co hosts Belgium last week and Del Piero was returning to the attack alongside AS Roma star Vincenzo Montella.

Both forwards worked well together all night and they combined in 77th minute when Montella won the ball in the Swedish half and touched it off to the Juventus hero to carry forward. Del Piero ran into the penalty area and shot high into the roof of the net. He scored thee winner when these two sides met in a February friendly with his last goal for the national team and he did it again in the Philips stadium to end any hopes of the Swedes progressing to the next stage..

Francesco Totti is now preferred in attack to the Juve star by coach Dino Zoff but Del Piero served a timely reminder of his ability and the strength of the Italian squad with his performance.

Italy did not need to win this match but held off some spirited Swedish attacking to claim their third win of Euro 2000 so far.

Sweden started well with Angelo Di Livio clearing a Johan Mjallby header from off the line in the opening exchanges and Frederik Ljungberg wrecked the Italian defence with a mazy run that saw him scoop the ball wide with goalkeeper Francesco Toldo at his feet and the goal gaping before him.

Del Piero set up a long run by Montella into the penalty area but Magnus Hedman saved the Roma man's point blank effort before Italy took the lead at the end of the first half.

Inter midfielder Luigi Di Biagio headed in a Del Piero corner at the near post in a simple finish that caught the Swedish defence cold.

In the second half Toldo produced a reaction save to deny Patrik Andersson after Ljungberg and Larsson had combined to put him through on goal and the Swedes put more energy into attack.

It paid off as Di Biagio was robbed in midfield by Kennet Andersson who fed the ball through to Larsson who ran through and defeated Toldo with a shuffle to clip the ball into the empty net.

Instead of pushing Sweden to greater heights the equaliser provoked some scrappy play from both teams before Del Piero's super show won the match for Italy.