| INITIALLY | To start off with, Italy achieves one-nil result (9) |
| INITIAL | Serving at the start, give it a one - nil result (7) |
| STRATAGEM | Trick is to start off with funny game (9) |
| NONPAREIL | With no match training, one-nil is about average (9) |
| BRUTALITY | Savagery of British game that's ending with Italy beaten (9) |
| BONONCINI | Italian composer good for France, once almost popular with Italy (9) |
| OENOPHILE | One-nil up, I help distraught Reds fan? (9) |
| INSTIGATE | To start off, it's roughly covered by home attendance (9) |
| ACETYLENE | Expert to start off in style with neon gas |
| WINDS | Goes round with swindlers, to start off with (5) |
| SKIPPERS | Captains had to start off with some sleepers on board (8) |
| INITIATE | I tie Tina up to start off with (8) |
| REVERSE | A setback could be severe, though right to start off with (7) |
| CLAN | A family from Lancashire, to start off with (4) |
| SNEER | Resentful to start off with, scoff at (5) |
| HARD | It's difficult to start off with Cliff, say (4) |
| TRIED | Harassed, which is detrimental, to start off with (5) |
| STUN | Unstable to start off with, rock (4) |
| TRACE | Certain to start off with very little (5) |
| REACT | Certainly to start off with be affected by (5) |
