THERE IS RARELY A QUIET NIGHT IN the stormy world of Italian football. In keeping with their fondness for melodrama, the Azzurri faithful had feared that ignominious defeat would complete the shame stalking the nation’s footballers, and even in enjoying a comfortable victory they endured a frightful scare.

After defying medical convention by inspiring his side to a victory that should have been even more comfortable, Francesco Totti’s fitness is again in doubt, with the AS Roma midfield player limping off after 56 minutes after a cynical stamp on his left leg, which has just healed.

Having made one remarkable recovery Totti must contemplate another, although Marcello Lippi, the Italy coach, is confident he will be fit to face the United States on Saturday. “Totti will be fine,” he said. “I did not substitute him because of the tackle, I was going to substitute him anyway.”

With the whole country saddened by the refereeing scandal surrounding Juventus, Italy needed a good start to the World Cup to lift a nation’s spirits, and Totti provided it. With even Alessandro Del Piero questioning his fitness beforehand, the 29-year-old more than vindicated his surprise selection, producing a display of stunning authority that suggested Italy can be a force to be reckoned with, as long as he remains in their ranks.

“It was a good performance and I’m very pleased,” Lippi said. “I don’t know where we will finish but I can promise that this team will please Italy. This team has great qualities.”

Given Italy’s well-publicised problems it was almost possible to explain Totti’s inclusion on morale grounds, as he had played only two practice matches since breaking his ankle in February, making Sven-Göran Eriksson’s gamble on Wayne Rooney look perfectly sound. England fans will hope that Rooney’s impact is as immediate. For all their effervescent energy, Ghana were utterly overwhelmed in the first half and could have returned to their dressing-room several goals down.

Playing with a dynamism at odds with their customary caution, Italy pressed forward from the off, with two corners in the first five minutes the result of Totti causing chaos. The sight of Richard Kingston, the Ghana goalkeeper, flapping around like washing in the wind, will not have eased any nerves on their competition debut, although he partially made amends later with a smart save from a Totti free kick. There is more to his craft than set-pieces, however, and his influence gradually turned to dominance, creating openings with exquisite passes from which Alberto Gilardino and Luca Toni hit the post and the crossbar respectively.

Ghana did threaten on the counter-attack in an end-to-end game, with Michael Essien and Emmanuel Pappoe both lacking the necessary composure in front of goal, but Italy’s pressure eventually told.

It was no surprise that Totti was involved in their opener, taking a short corner from the left in the 40th minute that Andrea Pirlo blasted into the net from 25 yards. The AC Milan midfield player may never score a better goal than the third of his international career.

Ghana’s substantial spirit was understandably dampened afterwards, allowing Italy to slow the game to somewhere nearer their preferred pace — walking. While he stayed on the field Totti remained a class act, sending Gilardino racing clear with a wonderful through-ball only to see him shoot tamely at Kingston.

Ghana’s only real efforts were wayward long-range shots from Essien, though frustration does not excuse the cynicism with which John Pantsil deliberately removed their chief tormentor. Having seen Totti win the ball with a sliding tackle, the Hapoel Tel-Aviv defender maliciously stamped on his left leg, causing him to leave the field immediately.

Vincenzo Iaquinta eased Italian anguish by adding a late second to the goal their fallen hero had laid on for Pirlo, but the talk remained of Totti. After this performance even Del Piero, his long-time rival for club and country, might concede that Italy need him.

Kingson

5 Four years ago Mauricio Wright, of Costa Rica, suffered the indignity of having his name spelt wrongly on his shirt at the World Cup finals (it said “Wrigth”) and last night it was the turn of Richard Kingston, the Ghana goalkeeper, who was wearing a ‘t’ short.

REFEREE: C. Simon (Brazil) 2

ATTENDANCE: 43,000

ITALY: Subs: Camoranesi (for Totti, 56min); Del Piero (for Toni, 82); Wolff (for McBride, 77); Iaquinta (for Gilardino, 64). Not used: Amelia, Barone, Barzagli, Gattuso, Inzaghi, Materazzi, Oddo, Peruzzi, Zambrotta. NEXT: United States

GHANA: Subs: Shilla (for Pappoe, 45); Tachie-Mensah (for Gyan, 86); Pimpong (for Amoah, 68). Not used: Addo, Adjei, Ahmed, Boateng, Dramani, Mohamed, Owu, Quaye, Sarpei. NEXT: Czech Republic