Belgium vs Italy Euro 2016, Highlights: ITA Open Campaign With 2-0 Win Over BEL

Emanuele Giaccherini was the unlikely scorer as his 32nd-minute strike gave Italy a 1-0 lead at the end of the first half. Graziano Pelle scored the second in added time to give the Italians a 2-0 win over Belgium in a Euro 2016 Group E encounter on Monday night. Catch highlights of Belgium (BEL) vs (ITA) Italy here. (LIVE SCORECARD | POINTS TABLE | FIXTURES | NEWS)

02:26 hrs IST: That's it from today. Join us tomorrow for more Euro 2016 action.

02:22 hrs IST: And that's fulltime. What a start for Italy!! Belgium will need to improve if they are to have a chance of winning the tournament.

02:20 hrs IST: Goal!!! Pelle scores in added time to put the result beyond Belgium.

02:15 hrs IST: Time is running out for Belgium and Buffon has really not been asked to make a desperate save in the entire match. Testament to the Italian defence

02:08 hrs IST: Big Miss!! Another golden chance for Belgium but substitute Origi fails to hit the target with his header. Should have been 1-1!!

02:04 hrs IST: And still Belgium can't find a way. Italy are holding strong but will need to be wary of Belgium's counterattack

01:58 hrs IST: Lukaku makes way for Origi. Poor game for the Everton forward, he will need to improve drastically

01:50 hrs IST: De Bruyne has been extremely quiet today and has failed to find his passing range

BBC. Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini. Italy's back three has been immense tonight. ?????? #EURO2016 #BELITA pic.twitter.com/ZXiTKNtmaS

- UEFA EURO 2016 (@UEFAEURO) June 13, 2016

01:47 hrs IST: Italy are having the better chances and Belgium are again on the backfoot

01:41 hrs IST: Save!! Courtois to the rescue as the Belgian goalie makes a brilliant stop. The game has really opened up now

01:40 hrs IST: Big Miss!! Lukaku can't find the finish after being in a 1 on 1 situation with Buffon. Brilliant counterattacking from Belgium

01:38 hrs IST: Too many misplaced passes from the Belgians

01:32 hrs IST: And we are back for the second half!

01:17 hrs IST: Halftime whistle and its the Italians, who lead 1-0 at the break. Belgium have seen more of the ball but haven't been threatening enough

01:16 hrs IST: One minute of added time

01:14 hrs IST: It's been over a year since Belgium have not failed to score in a match. But all their shots in this match has come from outside the box

01:07 hrs IST: Big Miss!! Belgium are rocking! Pelle had a golden opportunity to double Italy's lead but puts his header wide. Let off for the Red Devils!!

01:02 hrs IST: Goal!! Emanuele Giaccherini gives Italy the lead much against the run of play

GOAL! Belgium 0-1 Italy (Giaccherini 31) #EURO2016 #BELITA pic.twitter.com/wcMdV1Sydq

- UEFA EURO 2016 (@UEFAEURO) June 13, 2016

01:00 hrs IST: Pelle with the second shot for Italy but it's off target

00:54 hrs IST: Corner!! Belgium are starting to exert pressure on the Italian defence.

00:52 hrs IST: Nainggolan lets rip another shot but fails to hit the target

00:48 hrs IST: Sort of a lull in the proceedings after a blistering start to the game by both teams.

00:41 hrs IST: First shot of the match, as expected comes from Belgium, Radja Nainggolan smashes a right foot shot from outside the box but Buffon beats away the danger

00:35 hrs IST: Barzagali with a beautiful ball in from the right wing that had the Belgian defence stretched. But danger is averted

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Tonight's venue... The shiny new Stade de Lyon! #BELITA #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/g0erwf2QvQ

- UEFA EURO 2016 (@UEFAEURO) June 13, 2016

00:31 hrs IST: Alex Witsel draws the first foul from Italy. And Belgium are straight away on attack. Lukaku pulls the ball back from the right flank but can't find any of his teammates

We're under way in one of the most eagerly awaited tussles of #EURO2016 ! Follow it live: https://t.co/gPviajMZFa pic.twitter.com/v2ivnNgg2T

- UEFA EURO 2016 (@UEFAEURO) June 13, 2016

00:20 hrs IST: Here are the how two team lineups for today's mouthwatering encounter.

Here are the teams for #BELITA... Who looks strongest? pic.twitter.com/XYCzjpF5ap

- UEFA EURO 2016 (@UEFAEURO) June 13, 2016

00:15 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to the third match of the day. Belgium take on Italy in their Group E match at Lyon. Surely, it will be a case of the Red Devils' defence vs the Azurris' renowned defence. We are about 15 minutes from the start of the match.

Belgium supporters came out in force to support their team ahead the Euro 2016 Group E match against Italy at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium in Lyon on Monday.

© AFP

Italy don't have a very good record in their opening games in European football championship. Since beating Turkey 2-1 in 2000, Italy have not won their first game in the last three Euros.

At Lyon on Monday night, Italy's rock-solid defence will be up a golden generation of Belgium players, many of whom like Eden Hazard (Chelsea) and Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), ply their trade in top clubs of the English Premier League.

In spite of their attacking riches, Belgium know it won't be easy against an Italian side that will rely on its defensive traditions. Gianluigi Buffon, the 38-year-old goalkeeper, will once again be Italy's defensive figurehead.

Belgium and Italy met for the first time since May 2008 in November 2015. The Belgians came from behind to defeat Italy 3-1 in a Brussels friendly. Jan Vertonghen, De Bruyne and Michy Batshuayi scored for the hosts in reply to Antonio Candreva's early strike.

Belgium's only competitive triumph against Italy came in the quarter-finals of the 1972 UEFA European Championship. They prevailed 2-1 in Brussels after a goalless draw in Milan to eliminate the holders.

Italy lead Belgium 5-2 in head-to-heads. Three matches have ended in stalemates. Interestingly, Italy have scored more goals (15) than Belgium (9).

In Euros, Belgium and Italy have met twice -- a goalless draw in Turin in 1980 enabling the Red Devils reach the final at the hosts' expense.

Twenty years later, Italy helped to eliminate the UEFA EURO 2000 co-hosts in the group stage with a 2-0 victory in Brussels, Francesco Totti and Stefano Fiore scored in that match. Current Belgium coach Marc Wilmots and Italy counterpart Antonio Conte were on opposite sides in that 2000 game.