During stratified-charge combustion operation of a direct-injection spark ignition engine, at the cylinder compression stroke, a tumble is generated which flows between a spark plug electrode and a piston crown surface toward an injector. A fuel is injected from the injector in correspondence with the cylinder ignition timing by controlling the penetration of fuel spray from the injector to correspond to the tumble flow rate so that the fuel spray may go against the tumble, become a flammable mixture at the cylinder ignition timing and stay near the spark plug electrode. In the late stage of the compression stroke, diffusion of the flammable mixture is suppressed with squishes. Thus, fuel spray behavior in the combustion chamber is controlled to allow suitable mixture stratification over a wide engine operating condition range. This improves combustion quality and extends a stratified-charge combustion zone thereby providing enhanced fuel economy and power output.