With eight minutes remaining, an experimental Azzurri side looked to be heading for a draw when Lucarelli dived to nod in Antonio Nocerino's cross.

And the Shakhtar Donetsk hitman completed an excellent evening's work with his second right at the death.

It remains to be seen if Italy coach Roberto Donadoni will give the former Livorno star, or any of the other players on show in Tuscany, a place in his team for next month's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier at Scotland.

The Italians will go into that game in a positive frame of mind after the Scots' 2-0 defeat in Georgia earlier on Wednesday.

Alessandro Rosina, Andrea Dossena and Nocerino were all making their debuts for the Azzurri.

Italy controlled the opening stages of the game and almost broke the deadlock on 18 minutes when Cristian Zaccardo's close-range header went just over the crossbar.

Shortly after, captain Daniele De Rossi's right-footed effort went high over the bar.

South Africa had their first chance of the game on 35 minutes but Teko Modise's strike from distance went wide of goalkeeper Marco Amelia's near post.

At the other end, South African goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez did well to come off his line and anticipate De Rossi, who was ready to fire from Rosina's curled free-kick.

Italy picked up where they left off after the restart but ran into an inspired Fernandez, who did well to save substitute Alberto Gilardino's strike.

Donadoni's side were unlucky not to go in front on 69 minutes when Gilardino's header from Lucarelli's cross hit the post.

The visitors counter-attacked and Benni McCarthy's direct free-kick went high over the crossbar. It proved to be their only decent chance of the evening.

Italy finally broke the deadlock with Lucarelli reminding everyone he has lost none of his goalscoring abilities since moving to Ukraine this summer.

Lucarelli doubled his and Italy's tally with a powerful header from Franco Semioli's cross that stunned the keeper.