South Korea vs United States, 2002 FIFA World Cup, Group Stage

· FIFA World Cup

South Korea

78': Ahn Jung-Hwan

FT
1 - 1

United States

24': Clint Mathis

About

South Korea are hosting United States at Daegu Stadium, Taegu, South Korea, starting on . The match is a part of the FIFA World Cup.

Match Timeline

0': It's a clash between two teams who were among the more impressive victors in the opening round of fixtures and a win would put either on the brink of the last 16...
0': ... but will it be Bruce's Arena in Daegu or are Team USA on a Hiddink to nothing?
0': Captain Claudio Reyna and Clint Mathis are fit again and they both start for Team USA - Earnie Stewart and Pablo Mastroeni drop down to the bench.
0': The Korean supporters are passing round a contender for the coveted biggest flag of the World Cup award - they don't seem too enamoured of Team USA at this point.
0': South Korea are unchanged - they'll be playing 3-4-3 once again.
1': And how apt that there is a Swiss referee for a politically charged clash... Urs Meier
1': Team USA kick off and DaMarcus Beasley earns an early free kick on the left wing
1': Ryena will take... but it's deflected and cleared
2': First spell of Korea posession - it's noticeable how quick the USA are to close them down
3': Song goes down the right - but that's a gentle catch which was easy for Brad Friedel
3': Frankie Hejduk's foul gives the South Koreans a free kick
4': O'Brien looks for Mathis, but the mohicaned forward is offside
5': Hjeduk gives the balll away, they find Hwang and he bends the cross in, Seol comes in an volleys it powerfullly... but that's over the bar - and he's then given offside
6': Seol makes a run down the left but can't win the corner of Sanneh
7': A rare break for the USA but Korea win the goal kick
8': Team USA are struggling to keep the ball - Reyna gives it away there
9': Hwang goes down in the box after a challenge - no penalty but Kim Nam-Il takes a snap-shot from distance but it's comfortable for a keeper of Friedel's calibre
10': Korea the brighter side so far and Agos makes an excellent challenge to deny Seol a shot
11': Hwang finds Yoo Sang-Chul but Pope was keen on the cross there and cleared
12': Hejduk puts in his contender for longest backpass of the World Cup
13': South Korea's Red Army of fans really are making a lot of noise
14': Park swivels to take a shot, but it's something of a tame effort and Friedel gathers easily
15': Hejduk makes a last-ditch header as Korea look to play Seol in at the back post
16': Park Ji-Sung picked up the ball. he's looking for a shot, but there's a few American defenders around him - but he's managed to sneak one in. It's wide
17': O'Brien is fouled - chance for some respite for Team USA, but Pope's poor pass gives South Korea the ball again
18': A long ball finds Seol, who escaped from Agoos. He fires in a shot from an acute angle, but Friedel blocks well with his legs
19': It was all going swimmingly for Agoos and Pope in the USA defence until Seol escaped there
20': The USA have tha ball back - a rarity in itslef. They need to get Donaovan and McBride in the game more...
21': ... and there is Donovan, found by Reyna. His cross is good but just too far ahead of the diving McBride
22': And the USA find Donovan again. He has a chance to shoot from wide on the right... but it's wide
23': Park lofts a ball over the USA defence and Hwang comes in to win the header against Hejduk - but it loops high and it's easy for Friedel
23': They both need treatment here after that clash of heads - Hwang is a bit bloodied and Hejduk looks ok
24': O'Brien picks the ball up on the half-way line, he bursts forward and chips a left-footed pass to Mathis, who has got between the defence. He takes it down well and hits a half-volley...
24': GOAL! Mathis scores and Team USA lead. Against the run of play, but a fine finish
25': And Bruce Arena is rewarded for his decision to recall Mathis.
26': Hwang - back on the pitch again - tries to make a diagonal run behind the US defence but Hejduk comes across to cover
27': Beasley brings down Song. Free kick in quite a dangerous position.
28': But Hwang is penalised for a foul on Agoos, who ducked when the free kick came in - but it was a push
29': McBride takes a quick throw and looks for Beasley, who breaks quickly to prod a shot which Lee Woon-jae held on to.
29': And Donovan almost intercepts a back-pass - Korea are looking shaky at the back
30': Yellow card! Hejduk is cautioned for bringing down Song
30': Park Ji-Sung could take...
31': ... but they work it to Yoo Sang Chul who hammers his shot over
32': Plenty of pressure from the home side so far but not many Korea opportunities
33': McBride is brought down near the corner flag. Can Team USA find a second?
33': Not there - Reyna's cross is too long for everyone.
35': Kora are back on the ball and Lee is looking for Hwang at the back post... but a crucial header from Agoos denies him.
36': Corner, but Song heads it wide. Friedel's not happy South Korea won the header there
37': But Seol wins another header in the US box - but Hwang's first touch is poor and it goes out for a goal kick.
38': Change for South Korea - Park ji-Sung goes off and Lee Chun-Soo comes on
38': Beasley makes a run to meet a long pass and goes down after a collision with Song - goal kick given
39': Yet another Korea free kick arouns 40 yards out - Seol goes to shoot from eight yards and fires a shot which Friedel blocks really well - but the referee gave a penalty
39': It was for a tug by Agoos on Hwang - the referee cautions the defender and the decision looks to have ruffled Agoos' feathers
39': Lee Eul-Young takes left-footed - and Friedel saves - a brilliant block and Kim-Nam-il follows up, a USA foot is in there and it's a corner
40': Pope is down injured - Team USA will be praying he's ok - he stretched for the ball with Kim
41': Free kick, not a corner and the hero of the hour, Friedel, can clear
42': Pope is back on the pitch, so the USA are at full strength again
43': The first penalty save of this year's World Cup from Friedel
45': Song will take a throw for South Korea, Lee heads it in but Friedel is out quickly to take
45': Hwang makes a break behind the USA back four but he's rightly given offside
45': Song's cross is handled by Reyna. Free kick on the edge of the box.
45': Lee Chun-Soo will take - but Sanneh wins an important header and Donovan clears. The last drama of the half?
45': Half-time. Team USA lead due to Mathis' goal and Friedel's penalty save. South Korea have had most of the pressure, but they trail. A half of high drama, but not a real humdinger yet.
45': A test for Team USA's winningest coach Bruce Arena and South Korea's successful manager Guus Hiddink - whose locker-room talk can inspire their side to victory?
46': No changes at half-time. South Korea kick off and earn an early throw
46': Lee Chun-Soo puts his cross behind the goal
47': Seol acclerates to meet Hwang's flick-on and fires in a half-volley - brilliant save again from the diving Friedel
47': Friedel really is keeping the USA in this game - that was possibly a better save than the penalty
49': Sanneh concededs a corner as Lee Chun-Soo looks for Seol
50': Lee Eul-Yuong takes and Agoos rises highest to hed claer. Song shoots but it's deflected behind for a corner
50': ... and Reyna heads behind for another...
50': ... which the USA captain himself heads away.
51': ... and finally the USA clear. Good pressure by Korea
52': Good move on the break - Beasley found Reyna and Donacan had a chance to shoot, but didn't
53': And Korea break and Lee Chun-Soo's shot is blocked - they cross the ball from teh left and the same player heads straight at Friedel
54': Once again, Team USA are camped in their own half as South Korea press
55': They have a throw near the corner flag now which Lee Uel-Young takes, but Seol fouled O'Brien
56': Change for South Korea - Hwanf Sun-Hong comes off and on comes Perugia's Ahn Jung-Hwan
57': Beasley whips in a cross which is behind McBride but Korea break and win another free kick
58': And Ahn is brought down straight away - a bit clumsy by Pope
59': lee's free kick is headed away by Pope and O'Brien can claer, but the USA aren't holding the ball up
60': A very gutsy first hour by the USA - can they hold on for the last 30 minutes?
61': Seol wins a corner off Reyna after some desperate last-ditch defending from Sanneh against Yool
62': Sanneh himself headed away the corner and Friedel gathered Lee's second cross
62': Song plays in Ahn but he's given offside - somewhat harshly but he was unlikely to reach the ball
63': Agoos concedes another throw in the finl third - can Korea find that elusive goal?
64': Play is halted as Reyna looks injured after a challenge from Lee Chun-Soo. The US captain is being stretchered off
65': ... but Reyna is back on his feet and on the pitch
66': Ahn makes a solo run but delays too long and Hejduk can get the block in...
66': ... and the USA break with Beasley. His curling pass is heading for McBrdie who slides in but Lee Woon-Jae makes a brave stop
67': Poor pass by Pope and three South Koreans were hunting down Agoos when he put it out for a throw
68': Seol heads back across the face of goal and Friedel rose above Lee Chun-Soo to claim
69': Reyna chips a neat pass over the South Korean defence, Donovan has broken the offside trap and he could score here... but he's misjufged that horribly - he hardly made any connnection and it was easy for the keeper
69': And on comes Choi Yong-Soo for South Korea. He replaces Yoo Snag-Chul
70': The sub has a chance immediately at the far post, but he doesn't get enough power and Friedel makes another excellent save
71': Agoos puts Seol's cross behind for yet another corner
72': Reyna gets it away - and Korea have struggled with the USA's height advantage all day
72': Lee Eul-Young blasts it back in but it's well wide
73': Another important interception by Pope - he's been excellent today
74': Change for Team USA. Fulham reserves' Eddie Lewis replaces DaMarcus Beasley.
75': Kim Nam-il wins the ball ont he half-way line, he makes a break and cuts inside to go for the curler... but it's way over
77': Another free kick in a dangerous position for South Korea. Lee Eul-Young, as ever, will take...
77': Ahn rises highest to head home. GOAL! Nothing Friedel could have done
78': And Ahn celebrates by bringing back memories of a certain speedskater... Could it be Iran all over again?
79': Agoos was the man man who lost Ahn for the header. His World Cup has included an own goal and conceding a penalty already...
80': Donovan makes a break and Hong Mying Bo brings him down - yellow card
81': Can Team USA bounce back? Reyna will take...
81': Actually, Lewis does - but that's easy for Lee Woon-Jae
82': The momentum is with South Korea now - will they be able to find a winner?
82': Bruce Arena makes a change. He's the coach who cried Wolff - Josh Wolff, who comes on for Mathis.
84': O'Brien wins the USA a free kick. Some respite after all their defending
85': Ryena puts it in, but the referee gives South Korea a free kick. Pope was the sinner there
86': Donovan looks for McBride, but he's overhit that pass - the keeper gathers. There hasn't been a Korea chance since the goal...
87': And O'Brien is borught down again - Lee Chun-Soo the culpit this time
88': Choi Yong-Soo crosses but Friedel was alone in the middle to claim it
89': Seol backheels really well to find Lee Euel-Yuong . He gets to the byline, delays and finds Choi Yong-Soo. He's almost got an open goal - but he puts it over the bar.
89': So close to a winner there - and there are three more minutes to play
91': Team USA press, but no one gets a shot in and Korea can attack again
92': Korea throw near the corner - the final chance?
93': Lee delivers but O'Brien clears
93': And that's the final whistle! it's finished 1-1. Ahn earns Korea a point and but for Lee Eul-Young's penalty miss and Choi's terrible iability to covnert an open goal, they would have won
93': But Team USA played with real spirit and defended well in hostile conditions, helped by Friedel's excellence, and did not deserve to lose.
93': Bruce Arena was less than 15 minutes away from being, along with Brazil's Medium-Sized Phil and Spain's Jose Camacho, the winningest coach in the World Cup, but it's an excellent point under the circumstances and they must be favourites to qualify now

Statistics

USA		KOR
17	Fouls	17
2	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0
2	Offsides	4
0	Corner Kicks	7
9	Saves	4
45	Possession	55
6	SHOTS	18
5	ON GOAL	9
0.8	On Target %	0.5
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	1
0	Accurate Passes	0
0	Passes	0
0.0	Pass Completion %	0.0
0	Accurate Crosses	0
6	Crosses	11
0.0	Cross %	0.0
0	Long Balls	0
0	Accurate Long Balls	0
0.0	Long Balls %	0.0
0	Blocked Shots	0
0	Effective Tackles	0
0	Tackles	0
0.0	Tackle %	0.0
0	Interceptions	0
0	Effective Clearances	0
8	Clearances	1

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup

Venue: Daegu Stadium
Location: Taegu, South Korea

FIFA World Cup Table

#	TEAM	GP	GD	PTS
1	France	3	+3	6
2	Australia	3	-1	6
3	Tunisia	3	0	4
4	Denmark	3	-2	1

Full Table

Line-Ups

South Korea

No.	Name
1	Lee Woon-Jae (GK)
4	Choi Jun-Chul
20	Hong Myung-Bo
7	Tae-Young Kim
5	Kim Nam-Il
13	Lee Eul-Young
21	Park Ji-Sung
22	Song Chong-Gug
6	Yoo Sang-Chul
18	Hwang Sun-Hong
9	Seol Ki-Hyun

South Korea Substitutes:

Lee Chun-Soo, Ahn Jung-Hwan, Choi Yong-Soo.

United States

No.	Name
1	Brad Friedel (GK)
12	Jeff Agoos
2	Frankie Hejduk
23	Eddie Pope
22	Tony Sanneh
17	DaMarcus Beasley
21	Landon Donovan
5	John O'Brien
10	Claudio Reyna
11	Clint Mathis
20	Brian McBride

United States Substitutes:

Eddie Lewis, Josh Wolff.

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