Brad Friedel justified his selection in goal over Kasey Keller with one of the best games of his career. The Americans again took an early lead, but they needed Friedel to help them pull out a 1-1 tie against inspired South Korea.

BEST PLAYER. Brad Friedel earned honors by nearly universal acclaim.

He stopped Lee Eul Yong's penalty kick in the 40th minute and made several other big saves. He denied Seol Ki Hyeon, the most dangerous Korean attacker, on hard, low shots with his left foot and right hand, and he stood his ground to block a close-range blast by Choi Yong Soo for a corner.

''The penalty save was a big momentum swing and gave us a big lift,'' said Claudio Reyna. ''We did our best to hang on. Having him back there is always a big advantage.''

TURNING POINT. Friedel turned away the Korean penalty kick in the 40th minute just as the home team was regaining control of the game after falling behind, 1-0, to a Clint Mathis goal.

In a cluster of players, Jeff Agoos was judged to have fouled Hwang Sun Hong, who clearly was pulling on Agoos' jersey as he fell to the ground.

After a few moments of debate and indecision among several players, Lee Eul Yong stepped up. Friedel faked right, reset as Lee struck the ball and got both hands to it with a full-length dive to his right.

Kim Nam Il barreled in for the rebound, but Eddie Pope got to the ball with a desperate lunge first and knocked it out of play.

The Koreans, despite outshooting the United States, 19-6, needed another 38 minutes to score.

THE MOHAWK. Mathis had one of his quietest games for the U.S., but took his one opportunity brilliantly.

He drifted in behind Hong Myung Bo to trap John O'Brien's chip immaculately with his right foot and fired a deadly low shot with his left.

Mathis' adeptness with both feet and feel for goalmouth situations justified Coach Bruce Arena selecting him after leaving him on the bench against Portugal.

''It was just pretty much instinct,'' said Mathis. ''I didn't know what was around me, and it was just a touch and then a hit.''

It was his only shot of the game – and one of five the U.S. put on target.

For his first World Cup match, Mathis – who prefers a short-hair-and-stubble look – unveiled a shaggy Mohawk shorn for him by roommate Pablo Mastroeni.

Said Friedel: ''I'll tell you one thing: It's a good thing he did score with that friggin' thing on his head.''

MATCHUPS. Playing with three forwards, an attacking midfielder and two aggressive wide players, South Korea focused their forays on the U.S. outside backs and Agoos in the middle.

Because their runs often took them across the face of the goal, the Korean players had to be passed on from zone to zone or tracked all the way.

Right back Frankie Hejduk and left midfielder DaMarcus Beasley had to tuck in so the U.S. could keep sufficient numbers around the ball.

Beasley was in the middle of the penalty area when he blocked a shot by substitute Lee Chun Soo early in the second half.

The American forwards, Brian McBride and Mathis, had trouble working free of a three-man back line led by veteran Hong, but space on the outside was occasionally exploited by Beasley and Landon Donovan.

Because South Korea played with three up top, it often played man-to-man defense in midfield, which gave the U.S. glimpses of space in the attacking third if the first tackler was beaten.

O'Brien zipped out of pressure to cut inside and serve the left-footed ball Mathis converted for the only goal. A promising dribble by Reyna down the middle ended when he opted to feed McBride out to his left rather than shoot from inside the penalty area.

Although the Koreans moved the ball quickly and sharply on the ground, they were also adept in the air.

Yoo Sang Chul headed over from close range on a corner, and Ahn Jung Hwan rose above Agoos to score. McBride and Reyna bailed out the U.S. several times by winning balls in the air, and McBride was especially valuable repelling Korean set plays.

ACTION MAN. Lee was in the center of the significant moments, both good and bad, for South Korea.

He lagged back near the sideline to keep Mathis onside to score, and his penalty was saved by Friedel. But he also took the free kick from which Ahn headed the equalizer.

MISSED CHANCES. South Korea had more and better scoring opportunities, yet the U.S could have made its task easier with better finishing.

McBride was just a half-step late getting to low balls driven across the face of the goal by Donovan and Beasley.

Donovan squandered a half-volley in the first half and badly mishit a brilliant chip lofted by Reyna over the Korean back line in the second half.

CONDITIONS. The temperature and humidity were in the 70s: warm enough to drain the players but significantly more bearable than the high 80s that had been predicted.

A light rain earlier in the day and cloud cover for most of the match eased what could have been oppressive weather.

Daegu has the reputation of being the hottest and most humid city in South Korea.

HISTORY. At last winter's Gold Cup, the Koreans also missed a penalty against the United States. Yoo's penalty was saved by Kasey Keller in a 2-1 U.S. win.

by Soccer America Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney