Mathis scores in World Cup debut

Updated: Monday June 10, 2002 10:48 a.m. ET

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DAEGU, South Korea (AP) -- Clint Mathis scored in his World Cup debut, and might have put the ball in on his very first touch.

"Somebody on the U.S. team had to do it," the newly shorn attacker said after Monday's 1-1 draw against South Korea, which put the Americans within one point of a berth in the second round.

Mathis, who didn't play in the Americans' opener, took a pass from John O'Brien in the 24th minute, trapped the ball with his right foot, and fired it in with his left. He immediately ran toward the few U.S. supporters.

"I put up two peace signs and the kiss was to the U.S. fans," he said. "There was a small section of them, but they were supporting us 100 percent."

While he trimmed his hair down to a Mohawk last week before the opener against Portugal, he let teammate Pablo Mastroeni shave his scalp Monday morning except for a strip at the top.

"You get bored sometimes when you don't get to leave your hotel room too often," he said.

He is signed with Major League Soccer through next year, playing with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, but he has spoken to Bayern Munich in Germany and Perugia in Italy.

"I don't want to limit my opportunities," he said. "You don't know what will happen after an event like this. I'd like to explore my opportunities."

(rb/asd)