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| June 11, 2002 | Tuesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1423 |
S. Korea share honours with US
DAEGU, June 10: Substitute Ahn Jung-hwan headed an equaliser 11 minutes from time as co-hosts South Korea, who missed a first half penalty, came from behind to draw 1-1 with the United States on Monday.
Ahn, a second-half replacement for Hwang Sung-hong, glanced home a free-kick from Lee Eul-yong to send the Korean fans into a frenzy and Choi Yong-Soo missed a glorious chance to win the match in the 90th minute.
The enthusiastic home fans had earlier been silenced by a 24th minute goal from Clint Mathis especially as they were hoping to maintain the momentum of their opening win over Poland.
Mathis fired the US into the lead against the run of play with a well-struck low drive from John O’Brien’s pass.
Unfortunately for the Koreans US goalkeeper Brad Friedel was in brilliant form. He made a series of superb saves, including Lee Eul-Yong’s 40th minute penalty to almost single-handedly deny Guus Hiddink’s side until Ahn’s intervention.
Korea, again roared on by their raucous support, wasted a great chance to level just before the break when Friedel brilliantly saved Lee Eul-Yong’s penalty, awarded by referee Urs Meier for Jeff Agoos’s push on Hwang Sun-hong. Friedel dived to his right to block and Kim Nam-il put his follow-up wide.
The US had weathered a strong start from Korea, who went close to taking an early lead in the sixth minute.
Park Ji-sung dispossessed Frankie Hejduk on the right. He fed the ball inside to Hwang who sent over a teasing cross but Seol Ki-hyeon volleyed high and wide from just six metres out.
Seol found himself in acres of space again 12 minutes later running on to Yoo Sang-chui’s ball forward, but this time the Anderlecht striker shot weakly at Friedel from a tight angle and the goalkeeper was able to block with his legs.
Friedel again came to his side’s rescue two minutes after the break, denying Seol with another smart block low-down, then following up to beat away Choi Yong-soo’s shot from the left hand side of the area.
The US were forced to defend for long periods in the second half and their resisitance was finally broken on 78 minutes when Ahn rose above the US defence to glance home a cushioned header past Friedel.—Reuters
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