Italy's Francesco Totti celebrates after scoring a penalty against Australia in injury time of their World Cup second round match in Kaiserslautern yesterday. -Xinhua/Reuters

Francesco Totti came off the bench to score a disputed penalty in the last minute as Italy beat Australia 1-0 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals yesterday.

With the clock ticking down and extra-time play in sight, Fabio Grosso marauded down the left flank and worked his way into the box before falling over Lucas Neill's prone body.

Totti kept his nerve to convert with the last kick of the game, breaking Australian hearts in Kaiserslauten.

Luca Toni had earlier missed Italy's best chances, before Marco Materazzi's red card for a foul on Marco Bresciano.

The former Everton defender's dismissal, which was harsh to say the least, altered what had been an open game up until then, as both sides seemed to settle for keeping it tight.

The Socceroos, who had escaped on numerous occasions when Italy's strikers should have done better earlier in the game, failed to make the most of their one-man advantage despite a wealth of possession.

Australia coach Guus Hiddink was left to bemoan the harsh penalty.

"You can have doubts about the penalty, it was questionable," he said.

"We are very disappointed because we were so close. I think the only thing we can blame ourselves for is that we were not deadly enough in the area."

However, keeper Mark Schwarzer admitted the Socceroos had not done enough to make the most of their advantage, saying: "We put the Italians under a lot of pressure. I'd say we were clearly the better team today.

"The problem was we didn't score a goal and, with the extra man after the sending off we should have taken our chance."

Skipper Mark Viduka added: "I think we dominated the match for many parts and with an extra player it made it easier for us but it's a really bad way to go out.

"We're obviously happy we've got this far but so disappointing to go out in the fashion we did."

Italy coach Marcello Lippi claimed that he was always confiden this side would beat Australia even after Marco Materazzi was sent off early in the second half.

"I was never worried because there was still extra time to play and penalties," said Lippi.

He added: "This was a game that really had everything. In the first half, we didn't allow even one shot on goal - in the second, we struggled but we gave away little."

Totti's penalty was the very last kick of the match and the Roma playmaker believes Italy can go far in the tournament.

"So far the critics have really laid into me, but I've always said I'd prove myself on the pitch," said Totti.

"We suffered for long periods of the match, but in the end it was the whole team that won this match because Australia were a strong side.

The win was reward for another superb defensive display from Marcelo Lippi's side, even if their attacking efforts left a lot to be desired.

Toni in particular was the most guilty in a profligate Azzurri attack, though he was unfortunate not to have done better with a header that went just wide early on and a later turn and shot that Mark Schwarzer stopped with his feet.

Other chances went begging for Italy, as Alberto Gilardino also failed to make the most of some decent openings without Schwarzer having to make another decent save.

But, after Materazzi's harsh dismissal, it was Australia who dominated possession and the shame for them was that they could only produce neat and tidy football, which was ultimately toothless without the injured Harry Kewell.

Scott Chipperfield, on his 50th international appearance, wasted their two best chances - twice firing straight at Buffon when well placed in the area.

And he and Australia were left to rue their lack of ambition atthe death, as Totti stepped up to go some way to redeeming himself after a lacklustre tournament so far and stretch Italy's current run to 22 matches unbeaten.

The Azzurri will now play the winner of the Ukraine-Switzerland match, being played in Cologne tonight.