Advocaat tells South Korea players to party

LEIPZIG, June 19 (Reuters) South Korea coach Dick Advocaat said he would let his players temporarily off the leash to allow them to celebrate snatching a 1-1 draw with 1998 champions France in their World Cup Group G match.

Man of the match Park Ji-sung scrambled the ball across the line in the 81st minute to cancel out Thierry Henry's first-half strike and earn the plucky South Koreans a priceless point yesterday.

After their 2-1 comeback victory over Togo on Tuesday, the 2002 semi-finalists top the group on four points and next play Switzerland in Hanover on June 23.

''First of all I think it's important to celebrate the draw because that doesn't happen very often away from Korea,'' Dutchman Advocaat told a news conference.

''Let the boys celebrate a little bit and from tomorrow night we'll start thinking about Switzerland.'' France dominated the first half and should have gone 2-0 ahead in the 32nd minute. Mexican referee Benito Archundia ruled a Patrick Vieira header had not crossed the line while television replays seemed to show it had.

''The chance from Vieira? It was not a goal because it (the result) was 1-1,'' said Advocaat.

Bringing on winger Seol Ki-hyeon at halftime had changed the match, said Korea's coach.

''In the second half we were better organised,'' he said.

''With the extra winger we could put a little bit more pressure on them and control parts of the game and make it a little bit easier because the first half took a lot of energy out of us.'' Park said he was delighted to be top of the group.

''I'm very pleased we had such a good match against such a strong team,'' said the midfielder. ''Also because we are top of the group now which nobody expected.'' Asked whether Korea could repeat their surprise 2002 fourth-place finish, Park said: ''Nobody knows.

''We're just playing one match at a time and nobody can predict the outcome.'' REUTERS PDS RAI0537