Inzaghi missed an early opportunity to put Italy ahead in their Euro 2000 quarter-final with Romania.

He took up a good position inside the Romanian penalty area to latch on to a ball back inside from Stefano Fiore.

But he failed to hit the target, his left-footed drive from 12 yards out flew past the post.

That was the only real moment of excitement in the opening 15 minutes as both sides looked to be testing each other out in a match which would decide who would meet Holland or Yugoslavia in Thursday's semi-final in Amsterdam.

Romania were boosted by the return after suspension of Gheorghe Hagi and the 35-year-old saw plenty of the ball in the early stages.

He was given an ideal opportunity 25 yards out to demonstrate his accuracy from a free-kick after Adrian Mutu was brought down by Antonio Conte.

But the normal deadly accuracy of the Galatasaray player was found wanting as his shot curled high and wide.

Hagi was asking all sorts of questions of the Italian defence with his trademark accurate passing.

One raking ball found Mutu in space inside the Italian penalty area and it needed a good challenge by Cannavaro to deny him at the expense of a corner.

Another probing pass by Hagi picked out Moldovan and again the Italian defence had to be on its toes.

Romania were certainly not playing like a side regarded as underdogs with Mutu also figuring prominently.

But after taking up one promising position he blotted his copybook by firing well wide.

The Italians were only seen sporadically as an attacking threat but Fiore should have done better when he sent his half-volley over the bar after Inzaghi had turned the ball back across the area.

Romania continued to look the more impressive side and Toldo was relieved when Petre's shot took a wicked deflection off Maldini but flew straight at him.

But after 32 minutes the Italians went ahead. Fiore played the ball back into the danger area after a Romanian defender had cleared and Totti found himself in time and space to slip the ball wide of Stelea.

Back came Romania and Hagi was within inches of conjuring up an instant equaliser.

He seized on to a long pass from Munteanu and lobbed the ball goalwards over the advancing Toldo, but lady luck was against the Romanian star as his shot bounced back off the post to safety.

Albertini was then booked for a challenge on Hagi and then Galca was only inches wide with a 20-yard volley.

But three minutes before the interval Italy doubled their lead. This time Albertini was the creator with a ball into the path of Inzaghi and he produced another piece of clinical finishing to give Stelea no chance of saving.

Still the Romanian spirit refused to be broken and Toldo needed two attempts to keep out a powerful effort from Hagi.