Ecuador certainly battled well on their World Cup debut, and will look to take some positives into their game against Mexico. If only Delgado had scored in the last minute...

Those two early goals killed the game off, and Italy can take a lot of confidence into the clash with Croatia

And there goes to final whistle. A very comfortable 2-0 victory for Italy

Two minutes to be added on

...Delgado unleashes a powerful effort but Buffon makes a superb save to turn the ball behind. Great goalkeeping, but Delgado really should have scored

A lucky rebound sees Delgado in the clear, Maldini played him onside, and surely Ecuador will pull a goal back...

Del Piero plays a fine ball over the top which Zambrotta just gets a toe to, but he couldn't get control and Cevallos claims

Vieri's chances of bagging a hat-trick seem to have gone now, the game has virtually died

Another foul by Gattuso, running the risk of a yellow card

Another free-kick, this time for Italy, and Vieri again tries to win his hat-trick as the ball comes into the box, but he just can't stretch to meet the cross.

Final change for Ecuador as Cleber Chala is replaced by Nicolas Asencio

Gattuso slides in on Chala and it's a free-kick in the centre circle

Chala tries to find his alleged Southampton team-mate Delgado on the edge of the box, but his pass is poor and Nesta intercepts

Mendez takes the free-kick and after something of a scramble it is Cannavaro who hoofs the ball to safety

Cannavaro wrestles with Tenorio and eventually brings him to the ground - and gets a yellow card as well

Italy have been in complete control here. They haven't had to push themselves after taking a two-goal lead so early in the game

Zambrotta swings in a high cross for Vieri, the ball floats in just behind him and the striker is unable to make decent contact

The foul goes against Maldini on Tenorio this time. The game has become very scrappy

Tenori tries to get the better of Maldini, but the defender comes out on top to conceed the throw-in

Del Piero is adjuged to have handled the ball when collecting Panucci's cross-field ball. Another free-kick

Delgado does well up against Cannavaro, and looks to turn back in and get to the by-line. It's a poor move, however, and it's a goal kick

Del Piero will be eager to impress after missing out in this new Italian formation

And Del Piero does come on, in place of the impressive Francesco Totti

Del Piero looks set to enter the fray for Italy

The game has certainly died somewhat. Ecuador seem to have little going forward, and with Italy two goals to the good they can afford to relax

Italy make their second change as Luigi Di Biagio makes way for Gennaro Gattuso

Totti manages to win the ball back and lifts a cross in to Vieri, but Vieri is unable to direct his header and the chance is gone

Vieri tries to play Totti in, but the Ecuador defence stays wise and clears

Corner for Ecuador taken by Mendez. Panucci's header goes towards his own goal but Tomassi is able to hack the bal away

Change for Italy as Angelo Di Livio replaces Christaino Doni

The ball comes to Totti, but he can't get the ball under control and the chance is gone

Vieri is left in space on the right this time and looks for his hat-trick, curling the ball towards goal but it's straight at Cevallos

Mendez delivers the ball onto the penalty spot but Delgado fails to win the header

Doni finds himself trapped in hisown carner and tries to play the ball to Cannavaro, but only succeeds in conceeding the corner

A change for Ecuador as Edwin Tenorio is replaced by Marlon Ayovi

Carlos Tenorio now tries an ambitious effort from 20-yards, but his shot may well have cleared the stadium

The corner comes in from Totti and Doni sees his effort strike the top of the bar and go behind

Italy break now with Tomassi. He sees the chance to shoot and produces a fine, powerful drive which forward tips over the bar

Some confident play from Ecuador now. Chala tries a shot from 20 yards this time, but it lacks power and Buffon has no trouble

Mendez swings in the corner and Delgado wins the header, but its a poor effort and fails to trouble Buffon

De La Cruz gets past Maldini and looks to cross into the box, but Cannavaro heads the ball behind

Doni does well in the centre of the park, but Chala clips his heels before he can go any further. Yellow card

Ecuador break forward and Mendez has a crack from the edge of the box, but he fails to hit the target

...Totti strikes on the volley, but his effort strikes a defender and is cleared

Zambrotta goes on a bursting run down the right touchline and beats two men. The ball is lofted into the centre for Totti...

Chala does well and turns Maldini, but the Italian defender fells the Southampton player. Another free-kick

Maldini and De La Cruz go in strongly, and American referee Brian Hall gives the foul against the Ecuador player. De La Cruz is then booked, which seemed very harsh

Totti plays a low ball into the near post, but Ecuador are able to clear

Doni comes forward, and his cross deflects off Guerron for a corner

Chala chops down Maldini right by the touchline. Free-kick, taken short

Ecuador get the second half underway

A change for Ecuador at half time Carlos Tenorio replaces Alex Aguinaga - which means we now have two Tenorios on the pitch!

The half-time whistle goes with Italy two goals to the good. Ecuador came back well, but in truth Italy look very comfortable indeed.

Aguinaga takes the corner, but the ball goes straight into the hands of Buffon

Mendez floats a cross into the box from the right, the ball flicks off an Italian head and Cannavaro fails to stop it going for a corner

So close, from so far out. Totti's ambitious effort flew inches wide of the right-hand post

Totti lines up the shot, and cracks one from 40 yards out...

Mendez fouls Zambrotta, right in the middle of the Ecuador half. A chance for Italy...

Vieri and Tenorio have words after the Italian forward is fouled. One to keep an eye on, maybe

Mendez goes down under the challenge of Nesta, but no free-kick. The Ecuador forward looks shocked

...but he can't get any power on the shot as he looked to fire the ball across the goalkeeper, and Buffon can go down with ease

Delgado threads the ball through to Obregon. He breaks into the box and has the chance to shoot...

Ecuador look good with the ball on the right De La Cruz certainly has some skill - but what about the rest of the team?

A mix-up in the centre circle as Hurtado and De La Cruz leave the ball. Vieri picks up the ball and tries an ambitious shot - but it's way, way over the bar

Totti tries to play the ball into the box for Zambrotta, but there's not enough back-spin on the pass and Ecuador can claim a goal-kick

De La Cruz looks to float a ball towards Delgado on the penalty spot, but it's woeful and Buffon catches the ball with ease

This time Totti commits the foul, on Poroso, in the centre of the park.

...Totti's shot is straight at Cevallos, but the swerve of the ball means he can't hold on - but the goalkeeper manages to recover before Vieri can get in

Vieri plays the short ball to Totti, who has the chance to shoot. He unleashes a powerful drive...

De La Cruz does excellently to go past two defenders on the right - and it takes a Cannavaro slide tackle to end his run

Mendez is knocked down by Di Biagio. Free-kick

Italy look like they would be able to go up a couple of gears if necessary. Ecuador have shown plenty of desire but ot enough skill

Panucci goes down cluthching his ankle after the challenge for Chala. Panucci tried to ride the tackle - but he looks okay

Vieri's initial shot came off Cevallos, but the ball then looped up and left Vieri with a one-yard tap in. 2-0 and complete control for Giovanni Trappatoni's men

GOAL!!!!!

Di Biagio spots Vieri and produces a fantastic long ball over the top. Vieri uses his strength to muscle Poroso off the ball. He's through on goal...

Once again the atmosphere is somewhat muted in the Sapporo Dome. Just the odd drum beat - no doubt from the Ecuador fans

...but Vieri's connection is poor and the ball flies way over Cevallos' crossbar

Zambrotta finds space and burst forward. He spots Vieri in the box and produces a fine ball across the face of goal...

Totti looks for Tomassi with Vieri unmarked in the centre, but again Chala does well to break up the move

Panucci goes on a powerful run down the right, but just at it seemed he would break clear Chala produced a fine tackle to win the ball

This is better from Ecuador. There were fears of a rout early in the game

Ecuador come forward again, De La Cruz does well on the right, producing a dangerous cross - but Nesta heads clear

Totti brings down Tenorio in the middle. Free-kick

Di Biagio plays the ball over the top to Totti, but yet again the flag is up as the Roma player moves too soon

Ecuador win the ball back and Delgado does well on the right. Alex Aguinaga wants the ball played into the box, but the flag goes up for offside against the forward

Delgado comes forward with purpose - a rare attacking move for Ecuador - but three Italian defenders close him down

Free-kick just over 25-yards out. The ball is moved to create the chance for Vieri to strike, but the referee spots pushing in the wall. Free-kick to Ecuador

Poroso comes in on Vieri from behind. A free-kick, and the Ecuador defender gets a booking for his trouble

A neat interchange of play on the left sees Totti try to release Vieri yet again through the centre, but this time the flag is up for offside

Totti collects on the left this time and decides to cross. He looks for Vieri, but he can't quite get his head to the ball.

....Cevallos makes a fine save, pushing the ball away to his right as the ball looked to be heading for the top corner again.

Totti now creates a little space for himself 25 yards out. He decides to try the shot....

Maldini comes forward on the left and looks to swing the ball in to Vieri on the penalty spot, but his ball is poor and Cevallos claims

It's vital that Ecuador stay strong here. Italy could push forward and kill the game off early, but we surely can't have another Germany-Saudi Arabia bonanza??

A blistering finish from Vieri. The ball flew into the top right-hand corner of the net, giving Cevallos no chance whatsoever. 1-0 early doors

GOAL!!!!!

Totti now finds himself in space on the right. He gets to the line before cutting the ball back to Vieri on the edge of the box....

It's all Italy. Vieri is put through, he tries to clip the ball over Cevallos, but the keeper gets his hand to the ball the thwart Vieri. Good save

Totti floats in the corner, but the referee blows for pushing in the box. Free-kick for Ecuador

Cannavaro goes down in the box, it's unclear what has happened - could have been an accidental collision with Tenorio

Totti flots the ball in and Delgado heads the ball behind for a corner

Zambrotta takes the throw to Totti, and he's clattered by Tenorio. Free-kick

Vieri looks to make a run down the line, but goalkeeper Cevallos comes out to clear into touch

Obregon tries to feed the ball through the centre to Tenorio, but there's too much purchase on the pass and Buffon can collect

Italy get the game underway

Ecuador now join together for their pre-match huddle, eager to show a united front

Italy have abandoned their 4-3-3 formation, changing to 4-4-2 to try and nullify the attacking threat from the South Americans. Francesco Totti and Christian Vieri play up front

Ecuador are something of an unknown quantity going into this game, a match that marks their World Cup debut. Ulises De La Cruz and Augustin Delgado are the dangermen