Los Angeles: Lee Dong-gook seized his opportunity on Wednesday, capitalizing on Mexico keeper Osvaldo Sanchez's error to give South Korea a 1-0 victory in an international friendly that was part of both team's World Cup preparations.
Sanchez had just stopped a free kick when, in the 15th minute, he rolled the ball directly in front of Lee, who promptly fired it past him.
Desite Mexico's protests that the ball was not in play, the goal stood.
It proved the only goal of the match, which drew a crowd of 64,128 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
They saw a match dominated by the more energetic and resourceful South Koreans, who were wrapping up a spell in America that included a 3-0 victory Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and a 1-0 defeat by Costa Rica in San Francisco.
The South Koreans now head to Syria, where they will play their opening Asian Cup qualifier on February 22.
In the World Cup finals in Germany they will play in Group G with France, Switzerland and Togo.
Mexico were playing their second friendly of the year as they prepare for the World Cup, where they are drawn in Group D with Portugal, Angola and Iran.
They will take on fellow World Cup qualifiers Ghana in Dallas, Texas, on March 1.
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