Washingtonpost.com: Mexico Rallies to Beat Shorthanded South Korea, 3-1

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Mexico Rallies to Beat Shorthanded South Korea

Associated Press
Saturday, June 13, 1998; 1:41 p.m. EDT


	Mexico's Cuauhtemoc Blanco (right) battles with South Korea's Lee Min Sung during Mexico's 3-1 victory Saturday. (Eric Draper/AP)

LYON, France — Luis Hernandez scored twice as Mexico rallied with three second-half goals for a 3-1 victory over South Korea, which had to play most of the game with 10 men after the World Cup's first ejection for an illegal tackle.

Substitute Ricardo Pelaez tied it 1-1 in the 51st minute and Hernandez added goals in the 75th and 84th minutes, ending South Korea's hopes for its first victory in its fifth appearance in the tournament.

South Korea controlled the early tempo with a conservative attack and took the lead in the 28th minute when Ha Seok-ju's 30-yard free kick ricocheted off the head of Mexico's Duilio Davino, who was part of the defensive wall.

Then, in the 30th minute, Ha was given the ejected by Austrian referee Guenther Benko for a late, sliding tackle that upended Jesus Ramirez near midfield. Ha's ejection came in the ninth game of the tournament, making the the Korean midfielder the first victim of the FIFA dictate to crack down on foul tackles from behind.

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