South Korea's hopes on ice

Lee will be wondering as well, but he would do well not to bring the miss up with his team-mate. For it was Lee himself who spurned an earlier chance to level the scores when he had his penalty saved brilliantly by Blackburn's Friedel seven minutes before half-time. They are misses Hiddink knows could prove costly. That's why, when the vast majority of the 60,000 home fans were smiling deliriously at their comeback, he was scowling.

Korea now need at least a draw against Portugal on Friday.

"We were creating a lot of chances," said Hiddink, who coached Holland at France 98 and Euro 96. "But we didn't make the most of them and that's why I don't feel like smiling.

"I know this Korea team is now competing against teams ranked way above them. They deserve complimentsfor that. But I still want more. We are still outsiders but we are now very competitive against the higher sides. But I keep repeating we need a bit more luck and sharpness to take our chances."

Ahn's goal cancelled out America's 23rd minute opener from Clint Mathis.

Mathis, who plays for New York/New Jersey Metrostars, is the pin-up boy of the American game. Sporting a sharp Mohican hairstyle, he has been tipped for great things at this World Cup. But he missed the Americans' opening 3-2 win against Portugal.

Officially the reason from coach Bruce Arena was that he had not fully recovered from a knee injury. But Arena and others have, for a while, been expressing concern about the 25-year-old's fondness for partying. Arena warned that unless he knuckled down the interest of big clubs in Germany and Italy, would cool.

That may be so. But his clinical finish today may whet their appetites again. As Korea's defence stood still John O'Brien produced a neat ball over the top. Mathis controlled the ball well before firing past goalkeeper Lee Woon Jae.

It was totally against the run of play although the Koreans, as Hiddink concluded, did not make their pressure tell.

That was due mainly to Friedel, who conjured up a string of superb saves.

His first came in the 18th minute when midfielder Yoo Sang Chul slipped a through ball to striker Seol Ki Hyeon. Seol hit a firm angled shot but Friedel produced a fine stop with his legs.

Then in the 38th minute Swiss referee Urs Meier awarded the Koreans a penalty after America's veteran defender Jeff Agoos was adjudged to have pulled back Hwang Sun Hong, a national hero after his goal in the co-hosts opening 2-0 win over Poland.

Up stepped Lee, but although he struck it cleanly enough, Friedel went the right way and pushed his shot away to safety. Shortly after the break Friedel was on hand again to produce another fine low save, again from Seol and in the 69th minute Choi Yong Soo should have scored with his first touch but Friedel scrambled his drive away.

Arena was full of praise for Friedel's performance, saying: "Brad was man of the match. He produced a big save from the penalty and worked really well with his back line all game.

"Having said that give the Koreans credit. They were athletic and strong. We now have a big game against Poland on Friday and I really believe we can make the second round."

Friedel said: "We are very happy with four points. If someone out there had said we would have four points after two games you would not have believed it.

"We have now got a hard game against Poland. We will have to get our heads screwed on straight and be ready for that."

GROUP TABLES