Poland wins papal football match

Polish team members present the Pope with a team shirt

Despite the reported backing of the Pope, Italy's football team has gone down 3-1 to Poland in a special match in Warsaw.

The teams played Wednesday night's game to make John Paul II's silver jubilee.

At a meeting with the Polish-born Pope, the teams gave him a crystal football and a number one Poland shirt with his name, Karol Wojtyla, on the back.

The ailing pontiff, 83, who played football in his youth, reportedly told the Italians he would pray for them.

At the meeting in Rome on Tuesday, the Italian players, who lined up in blue tracksuits to kiss the Pope's hand also presented him with a signed team shirt and promised to "adopt" 100 needy children and provide them with financial support.

There have been a number of celebrations this year to mark the Pope's 25th anniversary in office.

Last month, the celebrations included a silver jubilee Mass in St Peter's Square, the beatification of Mother Theresa of Calcutta and the creation of 20 new cardinals.

Freezing

Sub-zero conditions may have favoured the hosts in Warsaw, as Italy's 10-match unbeaten run was ended by the home team.

Krzynowek (l) got Poland's third

Poland went two-up early in the first half, with goals from Jacek Bak and Tomasz Klos.

Antonio Cassano pulled one back for the Italians before half-time, but the visitors couldn't score an equaliser.

Jacek Krzynowek put the result beyond doubt for the Poles five minutes before full-time.

Italy, unlike Poland, has qualified for next year's European Championships in Portugal, but they rarely threatened the home defence.

"Our concentration was poor at times and we got punished. We did well to pull one back and I thought we might build on that, but we lacked a little imagination," said Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni.

Before the match a minute's silence was observed in memory of the 18 Italians killed in an attack on their base in the Iraqi town of Nasariya earlier in the day.