Korea Republic ended their nine-game overseas tour on a high with a 1-0 victory over Mexico in Los Angeles thanks to a bizarre mix up from the Mexico keeper Oswaldo Sanchez which led to a goal from Korean striker Lee Dong-gook.

It was a deserved win for the Korean side who dominated the game despite their recent busy schedule, and Dick Advocaats team could have won by a bigger margin had their strikers been less wasteful.

Despite the wealth of chances created by the Korean’s, who commanded the majority of the match, the only goal of the game was gifted in bizarre circumstances after just 15 minutes.

It all began with a Lee Chun-soo’s free-kick, which was comfortably collected by Oswaldo Sanchez in the Mexican goal.

Then the experienced Mexico keeper, perhaps assuming there was an offside call, immediately rolled the ball a few yards out, and was preparing to clear the ball downfield only to stand gawping in horror as Lee Dong-gook calmly side-footed the ball into the open goal.

The goal settled the Korea Republic down and for the rest of the half they were clearly the more dangerous team. Kim Doo-heon almost put them ahead three minutes later but his shot flew just wide of Sanchez’s right post and on the half hour. Sanchez then had more chances to redeem himself and saved from Lee Dong-gook and Kim Jin-kyu.

The 2002 World Cup semi-finalists started the second half in the same vein. After 53 minutes Lee Chun-soo made some space down the right by Kim Doo-heon but the Korean winger saw his left-foot shot parried away by Sanchez.

The Mexico keeper could only watch a minute later as Lee Dong gook’s shot went past him and, to his relief, also wide of the post. Lee then tested the Mexican keeper again on the hour mark.

With coach Dick Advocaat absent due to family reasons, the Korea Republic’s defence acquitted itself admirably, and was rarely threatened by the team currently ranked sixth in the latest FIFA world rankings.

With 15 minutes remaining Lee Chun-soo missed the best chance of the match from six yards out. Carlos Salcido’s clearance was a weak one, but Lee Chun-soo fired over the top right corner of the goal.

In injury time, the Mexicans had their best chance to level the game and almost made the Koreans pay for their inability to get a second goal.

Andrés Guardado floated over a perfect cross from the left that was met firmly by Omar Bravo at the far post. The ball was destined for the bottom left corner but goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae somehow clawed it away to preserve Korea’s lead.

Korea Republic face Syria in Damascus next Wednesday in their opening game of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. They will then return to Seoul to take on World Cup debutantes Angola a week later in an international friendly.

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