Heartstopper

U.S. edges S. Korea on late strike; Mexico also wins

Landon Donovan celebrates a goal during the first half. AP

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Two teenagers did the scoring for the U.S. national team as it began play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

DaMarcus Beasley's first international goal with just seconds remaining Saturday gave the United States a 2-1 victory over South Korea. Landon Donovan scored the first U.S. goal. Both players are 19.

Beasley, who entered the match in the 79th minute as a replacement for Eddie Lewis, took a pass from Jeff Cunningham, another reserve, and left-footed the ball past South Korean goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae from about 10 yards.

"Bruce told me to be aggressive and if I got a chance to try to put it away," Beasley said, referring to U.S. coach Bruce Arena. "I saw the opening at the near post, and I went for it."

The teams were in stoppage time when Beasley connected, and the final whistle blew before South Korea, which dictated the action most of the game and outshot the Americans 15-9, had a chance to respond.

Beasley, a member of the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, was playing in just his fourth international.

The last-second victory before an announced crowd of 42,117 at the Rose Bowl gave the Americans an 11-0 record in all-time Gold Cup group play, and a 17-3-2 overall mark in the competition which was first staged in 1991. The victory was the first in five matches against South Korea all time.

"We were lucky to get a goal at the end of the game," Arena said. "It wasn't a pretty game, for sure. Maybe a point would have been a fairer result.

"Landon Donovan I thought had a very good game. He was part of a bunch of big plays.

Donovan, who plays for the San Jose Earthquakes, scored in the 35th minute to give the United States a 1-0 lead. He was alone when he took a long pass from Ante Razov just outside the penalty area. Donovan volleyed the ball over the onrushing Lee into an open net for his second international goal.

The South Koreans tied the score three minutes later when Song Chong-Gug connected from about 35 yards away into the right corner of the net for his second international goal.

South Korea is a co-host for the World Cup this summer and will face the United States in a first-round match June 10. Those countries are two of the five in the 12-team Gold Cup who will play in the World Cup.

The South Koreans defeated the Americans 1-0 in Seogwipo, South Korea, on Dec. 9 -- just days after the teams were drawn into the same World Cup group with Portugal and Poland.

The United States played without several European-based and injured starters in that match, and in this one as well. South Korea had most of its regular national team players in both games.

"I think they were rather surprised that we took the initiative," South Korea coach Guus Hiddink said. "They were panicking more than one might expect. We had superiority in the midfield, and we were organized defensively."

Mexico beat El Salvador 1-0 in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader at the Rose Bowl in the first Group A match of the competition on Jair Garcia's first international goal in the 31st minute.

The sixth Gold Cup continues Sunday in Miami with Costa Rica (1-0) facing Trinidad & Tobago (0-0) in a Group C match and Ecuador (0-1) meeting Haiti (0-0) in Group D.

The U.S. plays Cuba in its final group match Monday at the Rose Bowl (6 p.m. EST) after Mexico takes on Guatemala in Group A.

South Korea missed a scoring chance in the eighth minute when U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller blocked Yoo Sang-Chul's penalty kick after Danny Califf pulled Choi Yong-Soo down in the penalty area.

South Korea had a chance to take the lead in the 51st minute, but Keller dove to his right to deflect a shot by Choi. And a shot by Park Ji-Sung three minutes later was knocked away by U.S. midfielder Manny Lagos at the goal line.

Jeff Agoos was wide to the left on a 28-yard free kick in the 57th minute after Choi Jin-Cheul was given a red card for pulling Donovan down about 30 yards from the goal. South Korea played the final 33 minutes plus stoppage time one player short.

"The red card was decisive, although we could have managed to keep the game tied," Hiddink said.

United States 2, South Korea 1

 
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F 
United States    1 1 2
Korea Republic   1 0 1

Lineups

USA (4-4-2): 18-Kasey Keller; 2-Frankie Hejduk, 26-Danny Califf, 12-Jeff Agoos (capt.), 17-Carlos Bocanegra; 21-Landon Donovan, 14-Chris Armas, 19-Manny Lagos (27-Jeff Cunningham, 64’), 7-Eddie Lewis (4-DaMarcus Beasley, 79’); 20-Brian McBride, 11-Ante Razov (13-Cobi Jones, 75’.

Substitutes Not Used: 1-Tony Meola, 8-Richie Williams, 9-Brian West, 25-Pablo Mastroeni

KOR (3-4-1-2): 12-Lee Woon-Jae; 15-Choi Jin-Chul, 18-Yoo Sang-Chul, 4-Kim Tae-Young; 16-Park Ji-Sung, 7-Song Chong-Gug, 5-Kim Nam-Il, 13-Lee Eul-Yong (3-Hyun Young-Min,72’); 11-Lee Chun-Soo (17-Lee Young-Pyo,72’); 9-Choi Yong-Soo, 20-Cha Doo-Li (24-Kim Sang-Sik, 87’).

Substitutes Not Used: 1-Kim Byung-Ji, 8-Kim Do Hoon, 10-Hwang Sun-Hong, 21-An Hyo-Yeon

 
Statistical Summary:  USA  Korea 
Shots                 9    15
Saves                 4    3
Corner Kicks          4    4
Fouls                 14   21
Offside               7    2

Misconduct Summary

Attendance: 42,117; Weather: 60 degrees, fair

 

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