Italy's Giuseppe Rossi (17) is mobbed by teammates afer scoring against the U.S. (Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images)

New Jersey-born Giuseppe Rossi scored two of Italy's three second-half goals as the World Cup champions came back to defeat the United States 3-1 at the Confederations Cup in South Africa on Monday.

"I dedicate the goals to my family, who are watching the game on TV in America," Rossi said. "This is a dream.

"I'm playing for the world champions and I also hope to become a world champion next year."

"Rossi gave us a burst of energy," Italian coach Marcello Lippi said. "He scored a great goal that calmed us down psychologically with a half hour still to go and then he finished the game off.

"He offers different characteristics."

After Landon Donovan capitalized on a dubious call to open the scoring for the U.S. on a penalty kick late in the first half, the World Cup champion Italians went to work in the second.

Rossi waited all of one minute after entering the match to make an impact.

Stealing the ball inside midfield, the young forward barrelled straight ahead and blasted a wicked left footer inside the left post to tie it at 1-1 in the 58th minute.

Daniele De Rossi put Italy ahead at the 72-minute mark, skipping a long shot through a maze of American defenders and past diving goalkeeper Tim Howard, who may have expected his teammates to block it.

Rossi, who holds dual Italian and American citizenship, iced the game in extra time off a lovely feed from Andrea Pirlo.

"If you're playing against the team which is the country where you are born, it Is always a great emotion coming in," Rossi said. "But when you're on the field, you have no plan.

"You just think about playing the game and trying to win your game."

"Certainly, it would have been our hope that Giuseppe played for the U.S.," American coach Bob Bradley said. "But he made his decision and he is a very talented player and today was a very exciting day for him."

The victory moved Italy into a tie atop Group B with Brazil, which defeated Egypt 4-3 in its opening match earlier in the day.

The United States plays Brazil on Thursday (CBC-Bold, CBCSports.ca, 9:55 a.m. ET) while Italy faces Egypt (CBCSports.ca, 2 p.m. ET).

After some missed opportunities by both sides in the first half, Italy caught a break in the 33rd minute when American midfielder Ricardo Clark was sent off for a sliding challenge that sent Gennaro Gattuso flying.

"The red card made all the difference," Donovan said. "Eleven guys from each team were prepared and ready to play the game and the guy in the middle, with the whistle, wasn't."

With the U.S. playing a man down, the Italians appeared to draw first blood at the 39-minute mark when American defender Jonathan Bornstein had the ball deflect off his foot and into his own net.

But Italy's Mauro Camoranesi, who was well away from the play, was judged to be offside.

Just two minutes later, Giorgio Chiellini was whistled for his challenge on an attacking Jozy Altidore in the penalty area.

The players made only light contact, but Altidore sold referee Pablo Pozo on the call by flopping to the turf.

Donovan, the all-time leading scorer for the U.S., then stepped up to bury a low shot past Gianluigi Buffon for his 40th goal in international play.

With files from The Associated Press