On a dramatic night in Group C, Italy defeated France 2-0 thanks to goals by Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi to leapfrog Romania, who lost 2-0 to the Dutch, into second place in the table.

Holland coach Marco Van Basten put out a largely second-string team against the Romanians as they had already secured top spot but they still clinched a third straight tournament win.

Donadoni felt there was never any doubt Holland would throw the result in order to give them a supposedly easier route to the final.

"I never questioned Holland's commitment," he said.

"When I was asked if I had phoned Marco van Basten to say, 'Make sure you win', I said I would have been offended.

"It was ridiculous to even have doubts. It is one of the worst things you can even think about.

"If you have ambitions and love football, you can't even think of these things. So it is good that Holland played well."

Italy rose from the dead to qualify, having lost their opening pool match 3-0 to the Dutch before only managing a 1-1 draw with Romania.

"I don't think it's the greatest joy I've ever felt (as Italy coach)," said Donadoni, who replaced Marcello Lippi at the helm after the Azzurri's 2006 World Cup success.

"It is just a reward for the work they have done. We have had difficulties but we have always bounced back.

"We fought hard to win, the boys had to make sacrifices. It was all thanks to their hard work and from now on, we need to look to the next game with as much determination as this one."

Italy's future is a quarter-final tie with Spain in Vienna on Sunday, but France head home having finished bottom of the group with just one point and one goal to their name.

Luck was against them last night - star playmaker Franck Ribery was carried off on a stretcher in the seventh minute with an ankle injury and Eric Abidal was sent off 18 minutes later for hauling down Luca Toni in the box.

Pirlo dispatched the spot-kick and Italy were on their way, De Rossi adding the second just after the hour mark.

France coach Raymond Domenech remained upbeat, saying: "Yes, I am disappointed. But after seeing the match and the players in the dressing room, I am proud of what they have shown.

"We lost a player, then saw Italy get a penalty and our player was sent off. That was a turning point.

"That handed the result to Italy but I told them (the players) I am proud of what they did. I am proud to be their head coach.

"It is impossible to succeed having so many catastrophes on the pitch."

Domenech proposed to his partner Estelle Denis just moments after the final whistle on French television station M6, the channel Denis works for.

"It was just a thought. Everyone was so sad and I thought to myself, 'Life has its beautiful moments'," he said.

"You have to tell people you love them. In such difficult moments, you have to go to what's important. I wanted to show some emotion."