Leboeuf netted an 89th-minute winner (Allsport)

By PA Sport Staff

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Frank Leboeuf struck an 89th-minute winner as France completed their World Cup build-up with a hard-fought victory over South Korea.

Marseille defender Leboeuf, wearing the captain's armband following the withdrawal of Marcel Desailly, lashed the ball home after collecting a diagonal pass from Sylvain Wiltord.

Christophe Dugarry had earlier restored parity for Roger Lemerre's men after they had surprisingly trailed 2-1 at the interval.

In what was a disappointing opening 45 minutes for the world champions, France also lost midfield star Zinedine Zidane, who limped off in the 37th minute before settling on the bench with an ice pack pressed to his left thigh.

If France, who lost at home to Belgium last Saturday, were looking for a morale-boosting victory to take into the opening game of the finals against Senegal on Friday then they bargained without a spirited display from Korea.

Guus Hiddink has built a neat compact unit who have impressed against England and now France in the last week and must fancy their chances of progressing from a group which contains the United States, Poland and Portugal.

It was France who took the lead though in the 16th minute.

Thierry Henry, showing no signs of the knee injury that has dogged him in recent weeks, crossed from the left and Juventus striker David Trezeguet struck a spectacular flying volley into the bottom left-hand corner.

Hiddink's men, who had looked bright until Trezeguet's goal, seemed to lose confidence but they hit back against the run of play in the 26th minute when Ji-Sung Park took a long ball, cut inside Marcel Desailly and lashed a left-foot shot past Fabien Barthez from the edge of the area.

The hosts then moved ahead four minutes before half time when an unmarked Ki-Hyeon Seol headed in a left-wing free-kick with goalkeeper Barthez left helpless.

Dugarry, a half-time substitute for Henry, levelled with a far post header in the 53rd minute - his first international goal since Euro 2000.

After Leboeuf's late strike, South Korea almost found an equaliser but Mikael Silvestre came to France's rescue with a brave block although there was a suspicion of handball.