The Juventus star's first goal of the competition shattered a bold Swedish fightback and sent home the team who ran away with England's qualifying group.

Henrik Larsson's 77th-minute equaliser, after Luigi di Biagio had headed Italy into a half-time lead, gave the Scandinavians a glimmer of hope, as Belgium crumbled to the Turks in Brussels.

Sweden had the scent of the last eight in their nostrils as they charged forward looking for the winner that would secure them second place behind Italy in Group B.

Larsson and sub Kennet Andersson went close but del Pierro exploited the inevitable gaps in defence to kill-off the game two minutes from time and send Turkey through to the knock-out stage.

Dino Zoff, meanwhile, will be concerned about the welfare of his talismanic captain Paolo Maldini, who limped out of action three minutes before half-time.

With a quarter final date looming in Brussels, possibly against England, Maldini will be vital to Zoff's master-plan.

The Italian captain, winning his 108th cap, had needed treatment after a collision with Henrik Larsson and clearly wasn't able to continue. He was replaced by Alessandro Nesta.

Victories over Turkey and Belgium had already assured Italy first place in Group B and a quarter final in Brussels on Saturday against the runners-up in England's group.

A point for Kevin Keegan's men against Romania will guarantee another classic Anglo-Italian showdown but it is likely to be a very different side Zoff sends out in the King Baudouin Stadium.

Italy's coach, a European Championships winner in 1968, reshuffled his pack in Eindhoven, giving Ciro Ferrara, Vincenzo Montella, Paolo Negro and di Biagio their first taste of Euro 2000.

Del Piero, also starting for the first time flashed a half-chance wide in the fourth minute but Italy lived dangerously in the opening moments against a Sweden side with one eye on the Belgium-Turkey game.

Angleo di Livio cleared a Johan Mjallby header from beneath his own bar after a Fredrik Ljungberg corner and Mark Iuliano produced a last-ditch tackle to deny Yksel Osmanovski.

Ljungberg sliced a shot hopelessly wide after wriggling through a crowded penalty area, Magnus Svensson poked a shot straight at Francesco Toldo after bursting past Italy's back-line and Patrik Anderson powered a header over.

Italy, after starting slowly, threatened through Montella. He danced through the Swedish defence in the 18th minute but couldn't beat Magnus Hedman.

The Roma striker lifted a lob over the Coventry keeper, after a neat interchange with del Piero, but his effort dropped onto the roof of the net.

Del Piero was the architect of di Biagio's goal. The Juventus star won a corner and delivered the set-piece himself. He curled the ball into the near-post where di Biagio rose unmarked to nod home from point-blank range.

Sweden threw everything forward after the break. Coaches Tommy Soderberg and Lars Lagerback took chances at the back in search of the win.

Patrik Andersson screamed a volley straight at Toldo and Ljungberg rattled the side-netting with a fierce left-foot drive but then Larsson gave them hope with his goal in the 77th minute.

He sprinted clear of Italy's back-line and side-stepped Toldo's dive before rolling his 11th international goal into an empty net.

The Fiorentina keeper saved a header from the Celtic marksman moments later and Kennet Andersson was inches too high with a snap-shot but the frantic search for a winner left inevitable gaps at the back.

Ambrosini and Stefano Fiore went close and del Piero curled a trademark free-kick close to the top corner before breaking for the winner.

Montella slipped a pass to his strike partner and del Piero finished clincically with his left foot to break Swedish hearts.