It took Giuseppe Rossi all of two minutes to make his presence know against his former country.
Under the lights of a cool South African night, Rossi lead the Italians in a second-half comeback win over the U.S. Rossi tallied two goals, and Daniele De Rossi added one of his own in a 3-1 victory in the first match of the FIFA Confederations Cup for both teams.
After a questionable red card to Ricardo Clark in the 33rd minute, the U.S. found itself forced to play a man down versus the world champions.
As he has done in the last three matches for the U.S., Landon Donovan converted a penalty kick; this one coming in the 41st minute, after Jozy Altidore was taken down in the box.
The Americans were able to contain the Italian attack in the first half, spreading the field and slowing the game down. After Clark’s foul on Gennaro Gattuso, resulting in his dismissal, the U.S. still displayed the kind of pressure and pace that it will need to succeed in South Africa.
While the Italians were able to test Tim Howard minimally, misplayed chances from Michael Bradley and Altidore in the first half could have changed the whole flow of the match, but both were unable to finish.
Jonathan Bornstein gave his side a scare in the 40th minute as his pass back to Howard in defense of a De Rossi pass for Mauro Camoranesi, rolled passed his goalkeeper for what appeared to be an own goal. Cameranesi was the ruled offsides, disallowing the goal.
Altidore did make up for earlier his missed opportunity, earning a foul in the box as Giorgio Chiellini pulled him down. The foul resulted in a penalty kick for the U.S. and Donovan beat Gianluigi Buffon to his left, just before the teams went to half with the U.S. leading 1-0.
Although down a man, coach Bob Bradley declined to make any halftime substitutions as the second half began.
Marcello Lippi did not hesitate to empty his talented bench, bringing on Rossi and Riccardo Montolivo for Gattuso and Camoranesi respectively in the 57th minute.
Rossi, a dual citizen of the United States and Italy, was born in Teaneck, NJ; has long been criticized by American supporters for his decision to play for Italy over the U.S. It was the same kid from New Jersey, who in the 59th minute, then took the ball from Benny Feilhaber at midfield, in route to an impressive strike from 30-yards out that beat Howard to bring the match to 1-1.
De Rossi would give the Italians the lead for good in the 71st minute as he drove a low-lying shot from 30-yards plus, into the far corner giving his team a 2-1 lead.
The Americans were able to muster a few chances that gave Buffon a little trouble, but the draw was unreachable.
Rossi struck home the final goal of the night after a cross from Andrea Pirlo beat Howard near post in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Italy now sits atop group B with Brazil who beat Egypt in the early game, 4-3.
The U.S. will now have three days to prepare for Brazil on Thursday, in their second match of Confederations Cup.
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