The Azzurri stayed top of Group 8 with a solid performance away from home against Montenegro.

Italy did enough to see off a spirited Montenegro outfit, by a 2-0 score line, thanks to goals by Andrea Pirlo and the debutant Giampaolo Pazzini.

It was a solid hit out for the Azzurri, ahead of their crunch clash with Ireland next week, something that Pirlo himself stressed in an interview at the completion of the match.

“It is important to win as many of our qualifying matches as possible, however we knew that this one would not be very easy, so it is important that we still got the three points,” Pirlo declared in an interview with Rai Sport.

Pirlo was back to his brilliant best tonight, as he controlled the midfield and dictated the play for the large majority of the contest.

“The most important aspect of this team is that we are a strong group, and this is something that we have always demonstrated.

“This was shown tonight, as we fought back very well in the second half.”

Italy must now play Ireland, a team that was held to a 1-1 draw by Bulgaria earlier tonight.

Pirlo added, “Ireland are a very good team, with many champions and a coach [Giovanni Trapattoni] that we know very well, but we will succeed in that match.”

The Azzurri are now two points clear in their qualifying group, as a result of the Irish slip up against the Bulgarians.