THE big boys have come out to play now and Group C is where the heavyweights are concentrated. Issuing as stern a warning as the Germans did at the weekend, Italy announced to all and sundry at Euro `96 that they too, mean serious business.

In its way, this was every bit, if not more impressive; similarly pragmatic, disciplined, minutely well-prepared and focussed. Russia were technically as good, probably pacier and played with more attacking intent. They had more of the ball, yet managed only one shot on target.

With less of the ball Italy had 11 attempts on target. They ensnared Russia's pretty patterned football in a defensive blanket after regaining the lead - through Pierluigi Casiraghi's second goal in the 53rd minute - by constantly hounding the man in possession.

Come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly.

Then they would pounce, the pocket genius, Gianfranco Zola running at a backpedalling and injury disrupted Russian defence. To an extent, it's old style Italian pragmatism, though defensively they play further forward and blissfully, it comes without the old cynicism and amateur dramatics. Defensive midfielder Robert di Matteo hardly did anything with the ball that stands out in the memory, but then, as of yore, the Italians always had one of them.

Adhere to the system or say arrivederci, Ask Gianluca Vialli and the others. Not all the players apparently like Arrigo Sacchi's ways. They mumble and they grumble, but they know they'll go a long way. And for all the flair of the Portuguese, Dutch, Croats, French and others, Group C has conveyed the biggest truism of Euro `96 so far. It'll take a stunning display to topple either the Germans or Sacchi's rigidly indoctrinated Azzurri.

The Russians were good, damned good at times and had their hard luck stories. The suspension of regular libero Yuri Nikiforov obliged the elegant Victor Onopko to play at centre-back.

But the departure of Yevgeny Bushmanov at the break obliged Onopko to play sweeper, which he did not have the pace for, while the substitute defender Igor Yanovsoki was out of his depth, more culpable than anyone of giving the ball away in the danger area of midfield.

But, overall, Italy were mentally and physically stronger Contrary to the attack-minded Russian team that so impressed earlier in the year at Lansdowne Road, the Russians sacrificed the live-wire Sergei Kiriakov in leaving Igor Kolyvanov to plough a lonely furrow in front of a packed midfield.

Thus the initiative was immediately handed to the initially positive Azzurri. To compound this the Russians began as nervously as a litter of kittens, their goalkeeper Stanislav Cherchesov handing the Italians a goal after four minutes.

Slicing a clearance straight at Angelo di Livio (another no-frills midfield workhorse), Cherchesov then barely flickered a muscle as he watched Pierluigi Casiraghi's low 20 yard drive beat him inside his right hand upright.

It looked for all the world as if the Russians would then subside tamely. Di Livio and Allesandro del Piero switched flanks and the Azzurri had a spring in their steps. Their pressure game when the opposition have the ball, the like of which hasn't been seen on such a stage since Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland were in their pomp was hustling and harrying the Russians.

But gradually Onopko, the skilful playmaker Alexander Mostovoi and co began putting their foot on the ball and finding team-mates.

Their sweeper system works because of the excellence of their wing-backs, in particular the brilliant Ilia Tsimbalar. Patrolling, the left flank like both a defender and a winger in one, he calmly swayed his hips or dummied over the ball to keep his opponents at bay and give him elf more time.

Increasingly, Kolyvanov was brought into play. A couple of wayward long-range efforts by him after 13 and 14 minutes signalled their intent. On 20 minutes we were set fair, the Russians were level.

Mostovoi patiently held on to the ball before creating space for Yuri Kovtun with a backheel on the touchline to take out two opponents. He in turn fed the advanced Onopko inside, who picked out Valeri Karpin for a shot which broke kindly off Luigi Apolloni. Tsimbalar pounced, controlling the ball and biding his time to beat Angelo Peruzzi at his near post.

Until the break, the force was with the Russians. The Italians massed in the Kop end went quiet, but Sacchi's work ethic and defensive solidity limited the Russians to frees by Mostovoi and Kolyvanov, and a shot by Kaiichelskis when turning inside the majestic Paolo Maldini.

Much was made of the Kanchelskis-Maldini contest within a contest. Predictably it was no contest. Once Kanchelskis did beat the great man on the outside, but otherwise the Italian fans had ample occasion to laud their undoubted hero for his awesome defending.

But the Italians started the second period well and were rewarded when Russia were caught in possession inside their own half, after three men hounded poor Yanovsoki. Demetrio Albertini released di Livio up the right and then made a distracting run as the latter fed Zola. The Parma man deftly played the ball through for the hard-working Casiraghi to score his second with a first-time, near-post drive on the run.

As events transpired, that was pretty much that. To come back once against these Italians is quite an achievement, but it's doubtful that anyone could do it twice. Dishevelled, the Russians' spirit sagged.

Zola, in his element, was denied by Cherchesov, dipped a free just wide, teed up first Di Matteo for a misplaced drive with a cheeky back-heel and then the out of touch Fabrizio Ravenelli for a weak right-footer. Poor Russia had had their lifeblood sucked from them. It doesn't get any easier. Now it's win or bust, and next up come the mighty Germans. Ouch.