Kakha Kaladze scored an incredible brace of own goals to hand a disappointing Italy their 2-0 victory in Georgia.

Marcello Lippi switched back to the 4-4-2 system, giving Marco Marchionni his first cap since September 2006, moving Mauro Camoranesi to the left flank. Daniele De Rossi scored a brace the last time these two teams met, but he was suspended, so Angelo Palombo partnered Andrea Pirlo. Vincenzo Iaquinta and Domenico Criscito pushed out more experienced players to start.

Georgia were led by former Inter Coach Hector Cuper and Milan defender Kakha Kaladze, giving 16-year-old forward Ananidze a place in the starting XI. The home side were very aggressive early on and Gigi Buffon had to flap away a corner, but Iaquinta was unlucky when he slipped to waste a golden opportunity on the counter-attack.

Camoranesi rose to nod Marchionni's cross wide from seven yards, then Iaquinta threaded through for Giuseppe Rossi, forcing Giorgi Lomaia to rush off his line to clear.

Andrea Pirlo curled a corner to the back post for Giorgio Chiellini to turn his diving header just wide on 20 minutes. Moments later the Juventus man had to be alert at the other end with a sliding tackle to stop Vladimir Dvalishvili from running clear on goal.

Genoa defender Criscito went into the book for a late tackle on Zurab Khizanishvili, while Buffon comfortably smothered an Amiran Sanaia snapshot from 30 metres.

Chiellini had a shot charged down from Camoranesi's cutback, but Gianluca Zambrotta had to clear up a dangerous counter by out-sprinting the Georgian striker.

There was controversy on 41 minutes when Criscito went on a slalom inside the Georgia box, dribbling past two tackles before he seemed to be brought down by a third, but the referee surprisingly waved play on.

After the restart Iaquinta just failed to get on the end of a through ball before it squirmed over the byline, but Georgia had a great chance when a Ramadze free kick was headed straight at Buffon by teenager Ananidze. However, it wouldn't have counted anyway, as he was flagged offside.

Iaquinta held up the ball surrounded by defenders and rolled across for the on-rushing Marchionni, who timidly fired it at the goalkeeper.

Georgia also complained at the referee on 52 minutes, as Dvalishvili charged towards the area and was halted by Cannavaro's outstretched foot, but again there was no free kick outside the box.

Dvarishvili thought he had scored - albeit in an offside position - when he got his head to a cross from the right, but prompted probably one of the best saves of Buffon's career! He one-handed batted the ball off the line from six yards and managed to block the follow-up too.

Moments later Italy took the lead with a truly strange goal. Angelo Palombo's cross-shot from distance seemed easy for Kaladze to clear, but the Milan defender somehow nodded it into his own net from the penalty spot! It was a terrible moment for the veteran, who has not played in over six months following knee surgery.

It was the first goal Italy have scored since the win over USA in the Confederations Cup, having gone for three matches firing blanks.

The Azzurri substitutes were already on their way on, as Gaetano D'Agostino and Fabio Quagliarella replaced Marchionni and the disappointing Rossi.

Within 60 seconds of their introduction, the two new boys combined for a fantastic scoring opportunity. The Udinese midfielder threaded through for the Napoli striker's angled drive that shaved a coat of paint off the far post.

Quagliarella went close again with a sudden snapshot from 20 metres out that bounced off a startled Lomaia's chest.

Georgia captain Kaladze's utter nightmare of a comeback was complete when he scored his second own goal. He was in front of Iaquinta to clear Criscito's cross, but spectacularly volleyed it into his own net.

Quagliarella blasted over from distance and Davide Santon replaced Camoranesi for his fourth cap. It was a rare appearance for the 18-year-old, who has been ignored at Inter recently.

Italy very nearly joined the fun with an own goal, as Criscito completely shinned a clearance so the ball was looping under the bar, but Buffon flew to fingertip it out for a corner.

Quagliarella combined with Iaquinta to test the goalkeeper again in the final minute, then the Napoli forward ran on to a smart D'Agostino through ball to run round the goalkeeper, only to hit the byline.

Italy somehow failed to score in stoppages! Quagliarella's diving header from a Zambrotta cross hit the inside of the post, bounced off the goalkeeper's back, out to Iaquinta who at full stretch hit the other upright!