24 minutes and Mathis fires the States ahead (Allsport).

By James Dart, Sportinglife.com

Final score: South Korea 1 USA 1

Man-of-the-match: The crowd was fantastic, but this probably has to go to an American player. Eddie Pope and Tony Sanneh were excellent at the back, but it was Brad Friedel whose saves kept his side in the match. He had no chance with the goal, but his performance keeps his team in good shape to reach the last 16.

90 mins: The final whistle goes to end an entertaining game. Despite conceding an equaliser 12 minutes from the end, the USA will probably be just as happy as South Korea not to have lost the game. The teams remain tied at the top of Group D on four points, with rivals Portugal and Poland to meet later in the day. Overall, South Korea were the better side, but the USA's good performance at the back warranted a point.

90 mins: Three more minutes for any player on the field to become a hero.

89 mins: A real chance to win the game for South Korea as substitute Yong-Soo Choi finally receives the ball inside the USA box from Jung Hwan Ahn on the by-line on the left edge of the area. The goalscorer takes an absolute age to play the ball in to his unmarked team-mate, but when he does, Choi's shot under pressure is scooped over the bar.

88 mins: Yong-Soo Choi takes advantage of a rare mistake by Sanneh to skip to the by-line down the left, but his cross is too close to Friedel and the goalkeeper catches.

87 mins: Whilst the USA side looks pretty fatigued after a long, hard game, now it is South Korea who also look quite tired. Perhaps the game is destined to end as a draw.

86 mins: Reyna centres the free-kick towards Pope at the far post, but the USA man is adjudged to have fouled Jin-Cheul Choi and South Korea win a free-kick of their own.

85 mins: Substitute Wolff wins a free-kick for the USA inside the South Korean half to ease the building pressure on their defence.

83 mins: Another change for the USA and coach Arena brings off forward Mathis and replaces him with another striker in Josh Wolff.

82 mins: The free-kick is curled on goal by Lewis, but it lacks pace and Woon-Jae Lee gathers comfortably.

81 mins: Donovan makes a speedy break to relieve the pressure for the US, but he is crudely chopped down by Myung-Bo Hong, who is booked as a free-kick is awarded 25 yards out from the Korean goal.

80 mins: Will Jung Hwan Ahn's goal take the wind right out of the USA's sails and see South Korea push on for a winner?

79 mins: Celebration inside the stadium and the atmosphere is now even more electric than it was before.

78 mins: GOAL JUNG HWAN AHN - Just as it looked as if the USA were going to hold on for victory, a free-kick is curled in the US box and substitute Jung Hwan Ahn beats his marker Agoos to the ball to flick the ball into the corner of the net.

77 mins: Sanneh hoofs away another cross from South Korean striker Ki-Hyeon Seol. Perhaps it is going to the USA's day as the clock continues to run down.

76 mins: Another chance goes begging for South Korea as Nam-Il Kim sees space open up for him around 25 yards out, but his measured curling effort sails over Friedel's bar.

75 mins: The USA make their first change of the game as the impressive Beasley comes off in favour of Fulham winger Eddie Lewis.

74 mins: Ki-Hyeon Seol continues to cause problems, but Pope is equal to his run into the USA box, by sliding in to clear into the stands.

73 mins: Good pace is displayed from Ki-Hyeon Seol as he leaves Hejduk trailing. His cross is short, but Agoos slices behind. Again, the US are able to clear the corner with apparent ease. Good defending.

72 mins: Yong-Soo Choi almost makes a dream entrance to the game with his first touches. A cross is played across the USA area over the head of Pope. He picks the ball up on the left side of the box, but drives a shot against the body of Friedel and behind. The corner comes to nothing.

71 mins: A third and final substitution for South Korea with Sang-Chul Yoo coming off and forward Yong-Soo Choi taking his place.

70 mins: The game is swinging from end to end as now Donovan just fails to latch on to a ball through by McBride.

69 mins: Ki-Hyeon Seol gets his head to a cross from the left by Eul-Young Lee, but his touch back across the box is caught by Friedel.

68 mins: Agoos is required to make a crucial challenge as a lapse in concentration sees three South Korean players closing down on his penalty area.

67 mins: Talented young Beasley spearheads a rare counter and his cross in towards McBride is just out of the former Preston striker's reach as Woon-Jae Lee collects.

66 mins: Jung Hwan Ahn makes a good run across the USA defence, but he just over-runs the ball.

65 mins: Reyna is stretchered off - as with any injured player - but after a brief spell of treatment he returns to the field.

64 mins: Worry on the American bench as Reyna is sandwiched between Pope and Chun-Soo Lee. He stays down.

63 mins: No changes yet from US coach Arena, but he may want to introduce some fresh legs soon to give his team a booster.

62 mins: The ball is curled in by Chong-Gug Song, but Sanneh rises dominantly above Ki-Hyeon Seol to head away.

61 mins: Sanneh wins a tackle inside his area, only for Chong-Gug Song to rob him and force Reyna into conceding a corner.

60 mins: As we reach the hour-mark of this game, the USA's defence continues to play strong, but whether or not they can hold out for the remainder of the match is yet to be seen.

59 mins: Chun-Soo Lee takes the set piece, but Pope heads out to Sanneh, who cleans up and completes the clearance.

58 mins: Jung Hwan Ahn's first involvement in the game is to win a free-kick just outside the left corner of the USA penalty area.

57 mins: Persistent play from Beasley down the left ends with his cross just eluding McBride.

56 mins: Talismanic substitute Jung Hwan Ahn comes on for South Korea, as Sun-Hong Hwang goes off.

55 mins: A good battle between Donovan and Eul-Young Lee down the right sees the South Korean player win a free-kick for his work running back towards his own goal.

54 mins: Ki-Hyeon Seol gets his headed effort on target from the edge of the USA box, but it lacks any real bite and Friedel catches.

53 mins: Beasley scampers down the left, before combining with Donovan and McBride. The latter's cross is turned out to Mathis, who is tackled before being able to fire in a shot.

52 mins: Chong-Gug Song sends in a third corner in succession, but the USA back-line stays strong to clear their lines.

51 mins: As the corner is half-cleared to Chong-Gug Song, his powerful drive is deflected behind. The next flag-kick is poor, but Reyna heads behind again at the near post.

50 mins: A corner to South Korea as Tony Sanneh gets in to turn the ball behind off the boot of Ki-Hyeon Seol.

49 mins: US coach Arena will want fewer mistakes from his defence and less opportunity for the Koreans to score. So far he has been thankful for a rock-solid performance from Friedel.

48 mins: Another good save from Friedel as he gets down quickly to save a shot by Ki-Hyeon Seol from the right side of the USA box.

47 mins: Chun-Soo Lee attempts to catch the USA defence out early, but his cross goes out for a goal-kick on the fly.

46 mins: The second half begins with both sides showing no changes to the teams that ended the first period.

HT: South Korea 0 USA 1

45 mins: That is half-time after another intriguing 45 minutes in Group D. Neither side really deserves to be in front at the break and Hiddink's side will be rueing that penalty miss - only the first to be saved at a World Cup finals since 1990!

45 mins: Reyna is adjudged to have handled a cross out on the right flank and South Korea get a late chance to pressure the United States' goal. Chun-Soo Lee takes the free-kick, but Pope, the best player on the field so far, heads away.

45 mins: Three minutes of stoppage-time are signalled for.

44 mins: American players are still talking to the referee regarding the penalty decision, but it now looks as though Mathis' goal will send them in 1-0 ahead at the interval.

43 mins: The referee now changes his mind regarding the corner, giving the USA a free-kick for Nam-Il Kim's slide in on Pope. The defender returns to the action.

42 mins: Friedel's save makes that the first penalty miss of these finals and perhaps justice was done.

41 mins: Eul-Young Lee places the ball to Friedel's right, but the goalkeeper pulls off a brilliant save. The rebound creates a scramble and the US turn it behind, although Pope looks to have picked up an injury.

40 mins: Penalty to South Korea as referee Meier controversially judges that Agoos felled the bandaged Sun-Hong Hwang inside the USA penalty area. Television replays suggest it was a highly-debatable decision.

39 mins: An enforced change for South Korea as Hiddink brings Chun-Soo Lee on in place of the limping Ji-Sung Park. A blow for the co-hosts.

38 mins: Sun-Hong Hwang just fails to dig out a cross from a tight angle as the ball just runs over the goal-line.

37 mins: Sang-Chul Yoo rises to meet the corner, but the USA defence does well to put his headed attempt under pressure as it skies over the crossbar.

36 mins: A deep cross towards Sun-Hong Hwang is flicked behind by Jeff Agoos to concede a corner to South Korea.

35 mins: O'Brien looks to play another telling ball, through to Donovan this time, but the USA youngster is just caught offside.

34 mins: Sunderland midfielder Reyna curls the ball in right-footed from the left, but his cross has too much pace on it, giving his team-mates inside the South Korean box no chance of reaching it.

33 mins: McBride, who scored what turned out to be the winning goal against Portugal, is causing some problems and he wins a free-kick down the left as Jin-Cheul Choi tugs him back.

32 mins: The ball is tapped to Sang-Chul Yoo, but his shot is always rising and fails to test Friedel in the USA goal.

31 mins: A first yellow card of the day as Ji-Sung Park is tripped by Hejduk about 35 yards out from goal again.

30 mins: The South Korean defence is showing a few signs of nerves at the back as Mathis almost nips in to rob Woon-Jae Lee of the ball, but the 'keeper just beats him to it.

29 mins: Quick thinking from McBride, whose long throw almost releases Beasley clear, but his shot on the stretch is comfortably saved by Woon-Jae Lee.

28 mins: The ball is crossed into Sun-Hong Hwang - freshly-bandaged and back on the field - but he himself is adjudged to have committed a foul and the USA get a slight breather.

27 mins: Ji-Sung Park goes down under Beasley's tackle to win a free-kick around 35 yards out from the USA goal.

26 mins: A 1-0 deficit is a touch harsh on South Korea, because neither side really deserves to be in front at the moment.

25 mins: There was deathly silence inside the Daegu stadium as Mathis fired the US into the lead.

24 mins: GOAL MATHIS - A really good goal from the USA as defender John O'Brien storms out of the back, before lofting an excellent ball into the Korean box to Mathis, who takes a touch before lashing the ball low past Woon-Jae Lee from 14 yards out.

23 mins: The Korean forward receives attention from his medical team, but until the bleeding from his forehead stops, the US will have a one-man advantage.

22 mins: Play is stopped as Sun-Hong Hwang clashes heads with Frankie Hejduk and starts bleeding from a cut.

21 mins: A cross from Beasley over on the left is half-cleared to Donovan, but he screws his shot wide of Woon-Jae Lee's left-hand upright.

20 mins: The USA counter with pace for the first real time in the match as Landon Donovan speeds down the right before crossing just beyond the diving Brian McBride.

19 mins: Good pressure at the moment from Hiddink's side with the USA really struggling to find the same kind of rhythm and attacking composure which they displayed against Portugal.

18 mins: The best effort of the game so far as South Korea break with purpose through the inside-left channel with Ki-Hyeon Seol finally shooting from a tight angle, drawing a good save with his feet by Friedel.

16 mins: Ji-Sung Park again drives in an effort from outside the USA penalty box, but he seems to have left his shooting boots in the dressing room.

15 mins: It has not been the most entertaining of openings to the game, but the electric atmosphere inside the ground is making it an intriguing encounter.

14 mins: Ji-Sung Park swivels on the edge of the USA penalty area, but he does not really catch his effort as it scuffs through to Friedel.

13 mins: At the moment it is the South Korean side that is getting in first to every challenge and 50-50.

12 mins: The USA look to pass the ball around in a bid to take some of the sting out of a game that South Korea are taking the upper hand in.

10 mins: Ki-Hyeon Seol almost gets in behind the USA defence, but a last-ditch challenge from Eddie Pope keeps him at bay.

9 mins: A very ambitious curling effort from Nam-Il Kim sees his 40-yard effort parried out by the retreating Friedel.

8 mins: Sun-Hong Hwang goes to ground inside the US penalty area, but it was an accidental clash with John O'Brien and play continues.

7 mins: Beasley's good work down the left looks to have won the USA a corner, but the referee's assistant and referee combine to give a goal-kick.

6 mins: Ki-Hyeon Seol looks lively in these opening moments and now he just over-runs the ball down the left flank to concede a goal-kick.

5 mins: An apparent chance goes begging after Sun-Hong Hwang crosses to Ki-Hyeon Seol, who fires over the bar from eight yards out. However, a late flag goes up to spare the striker's blushes.

4 mins: There is a great atmosphere inside the stadium today with the vociferous home support getting right behind their team.

3 mins: Chong-Gug Song breaks clear down the right with pace, but his cros is poor and Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel gathers with ease.

2 mins: An early free-kick to the USA as Nam-Il Kim trips DaMarcus Beasley wide on the left. Reyna's deflected cross is disappointing though, and South Korea clear their lines.

1 min: Swiss referee Urs Meier blows his whistle to get this crunch Group D clash under way.

Pre-match: It's a sea of red in the stands in Daegu as the South Korean fans are out in force once again to cheer on their team. USA coach Bruce Arena was able to recall Claudio Reyna and Clint Mathis to his side, who also come into the game with a 100 per cent record after their shock opening win over Portugal. Earnie Stewart and Pablo Mastroeni the players to make way. South Korea also won their first match at these finals, but Dutch coach Guus Hiddink named the same eleven players that started in the 2-0 success over Poland.