World champions Italy joined Brazil at the top of Group B after coming from behind to beat 10-man United States 3-1 in an electric Confederations Cup encounter here yesterday.
World champions Italy joined Brazil at the top of Group B after coming from behind to beat 10-man United States 3-1 in an electric Confederations Cup encounter here yesterday.
Landon Donovan (41st min) put the States into the lead only for the Azzurri to hit back after the break with
|
|
Italy's Daniele de Rossi (right) celebrates with forward Giuseppe Rossi after he scored his second goal against USA yesterday. |
goals from New York-born substitute Giuseppe Rossi (58th, 90th mins) and Daniele De Rossi (72nd min).
USA coach Bob Bradley naturally pointed to Ricardo Clark's red card eight minutes before half-time as a turning point. "The sending off seemed harsh, for me it was more yellow," he said before reflecting on the irony of the Rossis' American connection.
"I've known the Rossi family a long time, Giuseppe's dad coached high school soccer in New Jersey. I hoped that he would have played for us but he made his decision."
Italy coach Marcello Lippi too dwelled on his star substitute's birthplace, smiling: "I was certainly happy tonight Giuseppe was Italian and not American."
Lippi was without injured World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro.
