ITALY opened its campaign with an impressive victory over Belgium, while defending champion Spain beat the Czech Republic on a good day for the big teams at the European Championship on Monday.

    Spain needed a late goal from Gerard Pique to beat a particularly stubborn Czech Republic 1-0.

    Ridiculed by their own media as one of the country’s worst tournament teams, the Italian players responded with a remarkable 2-0 victory that sent the Azzurri to the top of Group E after Sweden and Ireland drew 1-1 in an earlier match.

    Though the soccer finally took center stage, Euro 2016 remains dogged by an opening weekend that witnessed drink-fueled violence involving English and Russian fans on the streets of Marseille and the city’s stadium.

    On Monday, a Marseille court convicted six English supporters and imposed prison sentences ranging from one-to-three months to five of them.

    There are concerns of further trouble in northern France this week, with Russia playing Slovakia in Lille, about 30 kilometers from Lens, where England plays Wales.

    Prompted by a UEFA warning that England and Russia could be kicked out of the tournament if the violence continues, England coach Roy Hodgson and captain Wayne Rooney both made video appeals for their supporters to behave.

    Tight defending and two well-taken goals were the keys to Italy’s victory in Lyon against a Belgium lineup tipped by some to win the tournament.

    While the likes of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne failed to deliver, despite Belgium enjoying plenty of possession, Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle made a mockery of Italy’s underdog status.

    Giaccherini pounced on a stunning 40-meter ball over the Belgium defense by Leonardo Bonucci to score in the 32nd minute and Pelle rounded off a breakaway with an unstoppable volley from inside the area in stoppage time.

    Spain’s match followed an all too familiar pattern, with its opponents putting 11 men behind the ball and hoping for a draw while the European champions patiently try to create an opening.

    In Toulouse, Spain’s patience finally paid off in the 87th minute, when Andres Iniesta found space on the left side of the area to chip over a perfect cross for Gerard Pique to head home.

    It was no less than Vicente Del Bosque’s team deserved for 90 minutes of hopelessly one-sided soccer.

    “We took the initiative during the entire match. We dominated,” the Spain coach said. “Iniesta made a perfect pass and Pique was phenomenal.”(SD-Agencies)