Daegu, June 10: A dramatic late equaliser from Ahn Jung-Hwan saw co-hosts South Korea keep their World Cup dream alive with a 1-1 draw against the United States here on Monday. Ahn, the golden boy of South Korean football who plays in Italy with Perugia, nodded home a 78th-minute free-kick to save Korea from defeat after Clint Mathis had put the US ahead in the first half.

South Korea`s Choi Yong-Soo had a glorious chance to snatch a win late in the game, but shot over from close range as the USA escaped with a point.

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Ahn`s equaliser sparked relief amongst the hordes of red-shirted Korean fans who had crammed into the 65,000-capacity Daegu Stadium for a match held among unprecedented security.

World Cup organiser feared the Group D collision might prompt a mass display of anti-US sentiment.

Ahn celebrated his goal by taking a speed skating posture - an apparent reference to the controversy at this year`s Winter Olympics when a Korean skater was denied a gold medal in favour of an American rival.

The result leaves both the United States and South Korea level on four points at the top of Group D after two matches. Poland and Portugal play later on Monday.

Earlier it had looked as if US goalkeeper Brad Friedel would see the Americans home to victory, the Blackburn Rovers shot-stopper saving a first-half penalty and pulling off a series of superb blocks during the match.

Swiss official Urs Meier had pointed to the spot around the 40-minute mark after the USA`s veteran defender Jeff Agoos was adjudged to have shoved South Korea`s veteran striker Hwang Sun-Hong in the box.

Lee Eul-Yong stepped up to take the penalty and keeper Friedel guessed correctly, diving to his right to beat out the shot before Kim Nam-Il missed a follow up.

Mathis` goal came after the United States had soaked up some early pressure to catch the home defence napping.

A long ball from midfield found Mathis in acres of space on the edge of the penalty area, the mohican-cropped striker taking one touch before ramming an unstoppable finish past Lee Woon-Jae.

South Korea had squandered a gilt-edged chance to take the lead over only five minutes.

A perfect cross to the back post from Hwang found an unmarked Seol Ki-Hyeon. But with the goal at his mercy Seol smashed a close-range volley over the bar, to the disbelief of his team-mates.

Kim Nam-Il was the first to seriously test Friedel, lofting a long-range shot which the back-pedalling US shot-stopper gathered on nine minutes.

Seol went close again near the 20-minute mark, latching on to a long ball over the top from Yoo Sang-Chul but seeing his angled shot blocked as Friedel thrust out a leg.

It was a similar tale after half-time, South Korea sweeping forward in search of an equaliser only to be thwarted by a resolute American defence - and Friedel.

The second half was barely a minute old before when Friedel came to the rescue for the US again, pulling off another marvellous save from a shot by Seol as another Korean chance went begging. Bureau Report