Italy enjoy half-time lead
Christian Vieri stunned the vast home support by giving Italy a 1-0 half-time lead against South Korea in the second round of the World Cup.
Vieri headed home a Francesco Totti corner on 18 minutes after Korea's Ahn Jung-hwan had missed a penalty.
Italy were without both their first-choice central defenders Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro, the latter suspended.
They were replaced by Francesco Coco and Mark Iuliano, with Paolo Maldini playing in central defence.
Alessandro del Piero started his first match of the campaign.
Korea began with a storm of attacks and Coco was booked for a foul on Park Ji-Sung on the right after three minutes.
From Song Chong-Gug's free-kick Ecuador referee Byron Moreno spotted two offences in the box, with Christian Panucci fouling Seol Ki-Hyeon and Coco fouling Yoo Sang-Chul.
After much argument, Ahn Jung-Hwan stepped up to take the spot-kick and saw his effort saved by Gianluigi Buffon, turning the Perugia star's shot away to the right.
Vieri had one shot over the far angle before heading Italy into the lead on 18 minutes.
Totti was booked on 23 minutes for catching Kim Nam-Il with his elbow as they jumped for the ball.
The goal failed to quieten the crowd as Korea fought to get back into the game.
The Italy defence worked expertly to contain Korea attacks, with Maldini outstanding at the back.
The Koreans had two men wide to stretch Italy's back line, but the Azzurri were slowing the game down and keeping possession to quell the Korean advance.
A weak del Piero shot from 25 yards went wide as Italy maintained their control.
The drive had gone out of Korea's early play, Italian organisation holding firm despite the pleadings from the steeply banked arena.
But Korea did almost break through on 35 minutes when Song Chong-gup found Ahn Jung-hwan in the box.
The striker produced a clever drag-back and turn into space before firing an angled shot just over the bar.
Totti had a 20 yarder that was blocked by Choi Jim-cheul before Italy almost scored again. Totti played a clever flick to Tommasi to put the Roma star clear in the box.
But his shot was blocked by Lee Woon-Jae, and as the ball rolled towards the line Choi Jin-cheul hacked clear.
Ahn Jung-hwan had a right-footed free-kick deflected wide off Cristiano Zanetti.
Coco was then elbowed in an incident which saw blood pouring from his face two minutes before the break.
Ahn Jung-hwan had another long-range effort saved by Buffon as the Italians reached the break in command.
