Italy 2 - 1 Serbia Montenegro
Sculli 30, 53 (I)
Vukcevic 85 (S)
Bochum, Germany
Claudio Gentile's European Championship challenge is back on track after a Giuseppe Sculli brace saw off Serbia Montenegro, but they lose Alberto Gilardino.
The Azzurrini needed to win this match after losing their opening game 2-1 to Belarus, but were without the suspended Daniele Bonera. Lecce's Cesare Bovo was therefore introduced, partnering Andrea Barzagli for the first time in central defence.
They had already encountered Serbia & Montenegro during a heated qualifying tie for this tournament, so tension was high.
Bovo curled a free kick wide of the near post early on, then Simone Del Nero's looping header did not take the Serb goalkeeper by surprise.
There was bad news after just 12 minutes when Alberto Gilardino was booked for kicking the ball away. It was a silly gesture by the Parma hitman, as he was on a yellow card and will be suspended for the final Group game against Croatia. 
The Serb defence caused chaos on Del Nero's weak effort soon after, but the goalkeeper was able to recover the ball before Gilardino pounced from six yards.
Serbia Montenegro had their first real chance when Maric unleashed a fierce dipping volley from 20 metres, but it only shook the roof of the net.
Italy eventually broke through on the half-hour mark with a splendid team move finalised by Chievo's Giuseppe Sculli. Gilardino and Mesto combined before Reggina winger Giandomenico Mesto's inch-perfect cross found Sculli for a low volley.
Replays suggest he may have been marginally offside, but moments later Sculli had another strong run interrupted by an incorrect flag.
At the other end Serbia Montenegro hit back with a deflected Lovre cross that almost squeezed in at the far post for a bizarre own goal, then Marco Amelia got down well to block a powerful Milovanovic effort.
Gilardino did not seem to be on song and wasted a couple of good scoring opportunities created by Del Nero and Mesto, but Bovo brought a good save out of the goalkeeper from long range.
Serbia Montenegro made two changes over half-time, including the goalkeeper and the introduction of Feyenoord's star striker Danko Lazovic.
But it was the Azzurrini who doubled their lead at the dawn of the second half by springing the offside trap. Gilardino intelligently waited to run on to Daniele De Rossi's lifted midfield pass and cut across for Sculli to complete his brace.
There was a scare soon after with Neziri left completely unmarked at the back post, but he somehow ballooned over the bar with the outside of his left foot. Amelia then got down well to fingertip a powerful Maric piledriver from at least 25 metres.
Claudio Gentile introduced Udinese midfielder Giampiero Pinzi in place of Del Nero, who fell heavily on to his lower back. The Azzurrini held on well under the pressure of Serbia's attempted comeback, Amelia blocking Maric's low drive with his foot, while Mesto was always a danger on the counter-attack.
The promising Reggina man collapsed with cramp in the closing stages following his tireless performance on the left flank. It was during this period when the player was down that Serbia Montenegro managed to get back into the game with a fierce and swerving long range strike from Vukcevic five minutes from time.
This made the closing stages particularly tense, as Italy had used all their substitutions and fullback Mesto was unable to run, effectively leaving the Azzurrini in ten men.
There was panic in stoppages when Lazovic hit the back of the net with a delicate chip, but the goal was disallowed for a very dubious offside position.
Italy U21: Amelia; Zaccardo, Barzagli, Bovo, Moretti; Mesto, Donadel, De Rossi (Palombo 77), Del Nero (Pinzi 62); Sculli (Brighi 82), Gilardino
Serbia Montenegro U21: Disjenkovic (Milojesevic 46); Bisevac, Basa, Jokic, Mijailovic; Milovanovic (Lazovic 46), Maric, Lovre, Neziri (Matic 67), Vukcevic; Delibasic
Ref: Gilewski (Pol)
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