Colombia Holds Off South Korea, 2-1

Edixon Perea scored in the 76th minute to give Colombia a 2-1 victory over South Korea in an exhibition game Saturday night at the Coliseum.

Perea, who entered the game in the 46th minute, stripped the ball from defender Kim Jin-Gyu 30 yards from the goal, then broke away and launched an 18-yard shot that hit the underside of the crossbar.

South Korea had a chance to tie the score in the 89th minute, but Colombia goalkeeper David Gonzalez dived to his left to deflect Lee Dong-Gook’s 13-yard line drive. Namgung Do secured the rebound but fell down before he could take a shot.

Chung Kyung-Ho gave South Korea a 1-0 lead in the third minute on a 10-yard header off Kim Dong-Jin’s corner kick.

Colombia’s Jairo Castillo tied the score by converting a penalty kick in the 38th minute.

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Lionel Messi came off the bench to score two goals and help Argentina beat Bolivia, 4-0, in the South American under-20 championships in Manizales, Colombia, where Colombia defeated Peru, 1-0, in the late game.

Of the 10 teams in the tournament, six will qualify for the final round and the final four will advance to the world finals in the Netherlands this summer.