Poland beat Euro 2004-bound Italy 3-1 on Wednesday in a friendly international overshadowed by a bombing in Iraq which killed at least 18 Italians -- mostly military police -- and nine Iraqis.

Players held a minute's silence before the game as a mark of respect for the victims. From the kickoff, Italy looked shaky at the back as Poland put on the kind of attacking display lacking from their failed Euro 2004 qualifying campaign.

The hosts scored from their first chance following a corner, defender Jacek Bak beating 'keeper Francesco Toldo from 15 metres after six minutes.

Fellow defender Tomasz Klos made it 2-0 with a glancing header from a Jacek Krzynowek free kick in the 18th minute. AS Roma's Antonio Cassano hit back straight from the restart, rounding goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to score on his Italy debut.

Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni switched his central defence at half time, bringing on Marco Materazzi and Massimo Oddo for Fabio Cannavaro and Giuseppe Pancaro but the Poles continued to threaten.

As the game looked like it would fizzle out amid a wave of substitutions, Poland made it 3-1 after 85 minutes when Krzynowek netted after a shot had rebounded off the post.

"They got an early goal which rather threw us. At a certain point we got the game back in hand. Cassano helped us get a bit closer to them and with a bit of luck we could have equalised. But the result was fair," said Trapattoni.

Cassano said: "The only positive thing for me today was the goal. It was a strange day with lots of problems. I didn't celebrate my goal out of respect for the victims of the tragedy today in Iraq."

Poland coach Pawel Janas said: "I'm delighted with this result. It will help the lads believe in themselves as we rebuild."

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