Super Mario on song in Italy win

Manchester City star Mario Balotelli was the key man as Italy overcame Poland 2-0 in an international friendly in Wroclaw. The striker blasted the opening goal in the 30th minute before he turned provider for Italy's second when he set up Giampaolo Pazzini after the break. Jakub Blaszczykowski missed the chance to pull a goal back for Poland from the penalty spot six minutes from the end as Italy's defence held firm to keep a deserved clean sheet. Poland had plenty of chances and striker Slawomir Peszko had the first opportunity of the match in the 13th minute when his shot from the right of the penalty area went wide of the left post. Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo put pressure on Poland's defence two minutes later when his out-swinging corner was cleared by Lukasz Piszczek. However, it was the home side who nearly went in front when Ludovic Obraniak's corner was headed over the bar by Robert Lewandowski from close range. Italy started to dominate and it was Balotelli who almost broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Pirlo delivered a testing corner from the right which the Manchester City striker got his head to but could not find the target. Peszko then blasted a chance over the bar before his strike partner Lewandowski's drilled shot flew past the left post. Balotelli was then denied by Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny when he caught the striker's 18-yard shot. However, the striker made amends 30 seconds later when he drilled the ball into the top left corner from 25 yards to hand Italy the lead. Lewandowski almost levelled the scores before half-time with a shot from from the centre of the penalty area, but Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon punched the ball clear. Riccardo Montolivo's shot was then caught by Szczesny before Balotelli was flagged offside and Claudio Marchisio's shot went wide as Italy upped the pressure without further reward before the break. Balotelli almost gave Italy a two-goal cushion six minutes after the break when he got on the end of Montolivo's cross only for his header to go wide. Another goal looked to be on the cards and it was Balotelli who created the score when he crossed the ball from the right and picked out Pazzini, who fired home from the six-yard box. Szczesny then saved another good chance, this time from Alessandro Matri, when the substitute striker blasted a shot from close range, but the Arsenal keeper denied him with his feet. Lewandowski tried his luck again in the 80th minute but his shot flew over the bar before Blaszczykowski missed a penalty four minutes later. The midfielder stepped up after Andrea Ranocchia fouled Lewandowski but Buffon punched the ball clear. Lewandowski had another chance blocked in the dying minutes as Poland tried but failed to find the target.