Italy's Alberto Gilardino duals with Daniel Coleman of Ghana

Ghana opened their Olympic campaign with a 2-2 draw against Italy in Group B in the city of Volos.

The 1992 bronze medallists let slip a two-goal half-time lead, yet the draw was no less than the Italians deserved.

After Emmanuel Pappoe and Stephen Appiah both struck for the Black Meteors, the Italians replied through Giampiero Pinzi and late on through Alberto Gilardino.

The draw leaves both Ghana and Italy on one point behind group leaders Paraguay, who beat Japan 4-3 in Thessaloniki.

"It's not a bad beginning," said Black Meteors defender Emmanuel Osei.

"We played against one of the strongest teams in the tournament and the important thing is we didn't lose.

"We can qualify for the next round."

The Italians, who won the European under-21 championships in June, provided most of the flair and neat touches but were stunned by two clinical first-half strikes from the west Africans.

Pappoe gave Ghana a 36th-minute lead when converting a cross from Stephen Appiah, with the Juventus midfielder, who was at the heart of his side's best moves, then crashing home a spectacular 20-yard drive in first-half injury time.

Italy hit back four minutes after the break through Pinzi before Italy, whose football federation placed so much importance on the Olympic tournament that they delayed the start of their domestic season by two weeks, had a strong claim for a penalty turned down.

Ghana keeper George Owu caught Daniele De Rossi but the referee waved play on.

With just seven minutes left, Gilardino denied Mariano Barreto's side a precious victory as he beat Owu following an exquisite interchange with substitute Simone Del Nero.

Del Nero might have nicked a dramatic winner for Italy, but the Brescia midfielder fluffed an easy chance on the stroke of full-time.

In Group D, Morocco drew 0-0 with Costa Rica in Heraklion.

Iraq top the group after their 4-2 defeat of Portugal in Patras.