Leipzig - Park Ji Sung's late equaliser gave never-say-die South Korea a 1-1 draw with wasteful France in a Group G match Sunday that could mark the end of Zinedine Zidane's stellar career.
Thierry Henry put the French ahead on nine minutes with their first World Cup goal since they won the 1998 final on home soil, improving on a goalless opening draw with Switzerland.
But despite dominating most of the match, the French were left with just two points from two games - though Mexican referee Benito Archundia failed to allow what television replays showed as a clear goal by Patrick Vieira.
Zidane, who will be 34 when France play Togo on Friday, received his second yellow card of the tournament for pushing a defender in the penalty area just after the South Korean equaliser.
That means the French captain and mastermind of the 1998 champion squad will miss the final group game against Togo, which could be the last in France's 2006 trophy campaign unless they win.
'We were greatly improved on the match against Switzerland. We put some good moves together,' embattled French coach Raymond Domenech said.
'We controlled the match for long spells, but we're unlucky the referee didn't give the goal on Vieira's header.'
South Korea, playing their sixth World Cup in a row, now lead the group with four points before Togo and Switzerland meet in their second Group G game Monday.
Domenech blamed 'strange' refereeing for Zidane's second booking, but he praised the fighting spirit of the Koreans, who were semi- finalists four years ago when they co-hosted the World Cup.
'Their goal was bit flukey, but that's football,' he said. 'We know where we are: We have to win the last match.'
France swiftly took control of the match and for a long time seemed headed for their first World Cup victory on foreign soil in 20 years.
Arsenal striker Henry split the Korean defence on six minutes with a pass to Sylvain Wiltord, whose shot inside the area forced goalkeeper Lee Woon Jae to save with his feet.
Three minutes later the French went ahead when Henry sped between two defenders and craftily took a Wiltord pass, controlling the ball with his right foot and slotting it home with his left.
It was one of the only times in the game that an generally sluggish Zidane showed why he was called out of international retirement to lead the French squad when their World Cup qualifying seemed headed for disaster.
Mid-way through the first half the Real Madrid star tried to slip a back-heel pass to Florent Malouda on the touch line. The ball went out, and Zidane cracked a wry smile.
A bit later, he back-headed a corner kick wide at the back post in the 27th.
France seemed to have made it two on 31 minutes when Patrick Vieira rose high on a corner and Lee Woon Jae appeared to palm the ball away behind the goal-line, but the referee waved play on.
Henry played the ball into the box in the 41st after a classy move just inside the area, but Florent Malouda was one step too late to reach the pass.
France continued to dominate after the break, but sloppy passing and tight marking by the Koreans spoiled most French moves. Malouda tried from afar on 74 minutes, sending a left-footed volley over the crossbar from 25 metres out.
France's slack finishing came back to haunt them in the 81st when Manchester United midfielder Park Ji Sung equalised on South Korea's first compelling attack.
Substitute Seol Ki Hyeon looped in a cross from the right, Cho Jae Jin headed the ball into the goalmouth from the far post and Park Ji Sung bundled it past goalkeeper Fabien Barthez as William Gallas' attempt to save on the goal-line came too late.
'We are very happy that as a small footballing country we won a point against the French,' said South Korea coach Dick Advocaat. 'We were lucky to score one goal out of two chances.'
On the French side, the game also marked a milestone for defender Lilian Thuram who equalled Marcel Desailly's record of 116 French caps.
Match statistics:
France: Fabien Barthez - Willy Sagnol, Lilian Thuram, William Gallas, Eric Abidal - Patrick Vieira, Claude Makelele - Sylvain Wiltord (60. Franck Ribery), Zinedine Zidane (90. Trezeguet), Florent Malouda (88. Vikash Dhorasoo) - Thierry Henry.
South Korea: Lee Woon Jae - Choi Jin Cheul, Kim Young Chul, Kim Dong Jin, Lee Young Pyo - Kim Nam Il, Lee Ho (67. Kim Sang Sik), Lee Eul Yong (45. K Seol), Park Ji Sung - Lee Chun Soo (71. Ahn Jung Hwan) - Cho Jae Jin.
Referee: Benito Archundia, Mexico
Attendance: 43,000
Yellow Cards: Abidal, Zidane / Kim Dong Jin, Lee Ho
Best players: Vieira, Henry / Park Ji Sung, Lee Woon Jae
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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