Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle scored the goals as Antonio Conte's under-fire Italy team started their Euro 2016 Group E campaign with a 2-0 success over Belgium in Lyon.
Belgium promised much after Marc Wilmots named an attacking side that included seven Premier League players, but the old guard came strong for the Italians as they began their challenge with an important win.
Antonio Candreva's willingness to hold a wide right position for the Italians caused problems for Belgium in the early exchanges, and only an impressove clearance from Thomas Vermaelen prevented Juventus centre-back Andrea Barzagli from having an attempt on goal inside five minutes.
Belgium had the first attempt on goal in the 10th minute after Marouane Fellaini found Radja Nainggolan in space, but the Roma midfielder could not find a route past Gianluigi Buffon.
Nainggolan again tried his luck from distance in the 21st minute during what was a cagey period of the match, but the reported Chelsea target fired wide of Buffon's post under pressure from Leonardo Bonucci.
Italy's first real sight of goal came 15 minutes before the end of the first period when Pelle found space outside the Belgian box, but the Southampton striker could only curl his effort wide of the post.
Italy made the breakthrough in the 32nd minute, however, when Bonucci's sensational pass cut through the Belgian defence and Giaccherini was on hand to place the ball past Courtois from close range.
Belgium were wobbling as the first period approached its latter stages and Courtois was forced to fly across his goal and keep out a strike from Candreva, before Pelle just missed the post with a close-range header.
Belgium were restricted to long-range strikes in the first half and it was the turn of Axel Witsel to fire wide of the post in the 38th minute as Wilmots's side continued to struggle at Parc Olympique Lyonnais.
Somewhat surprisingly, there were no Belgian changes at the interval and Wilmots's side started the second period as they finished the first - struggling to undo a well-drilled and strong Italian back three.
Both sides had super chances in the 54th minute of action, but Lukaku could not finish after De Bruyne found the striker in space following a quick counter-attack, before Courtois kept out a Pelle header down the other end.
Belgium started to find their feet as the 60-minute mark approached and Buffon had to be alert to keep out a long-range strike from Hazard, who eventually moved into a central position when Dries Mertens was introduced.
Lukaku, who had a night to forget, was replaced in the 73rd minute as Divock Origi entered, but it was Italy that had the game's next chance - Giaccherini seeing a low strike deflected wide of Courtois's post.
Mertens attempted to pick out the far corner with a curling strike 10 minutes from time, but the attacker's effort was wide of the post during a period of pressure from Belgium. Fellow substitute Origi had an even better chance moments later, but his header somehow missed the target form close range.
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On the counter-attack, Italy had the chance to score a second five minutes from time, but Ciro Immobile could not beat Courtois with a powerful strike as it remained 1-0 entering the final stages of what was a competitive clash.
Fellaini and Origi both had chances for the Belgians late on as the pressure continued, but Italy made sure of the points in the third minute of additional time when Candreva set up Pelle, who hammered a volley home from close range to spark emotional Italian celebrations.
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Belgium will look to respond from the setback when they take on Republic of Ireland on Saturday, while Italy, who now top the group, will face Sweden on Friday afternoon.
