Ronaldinho scores late winner for Brazil

International friendlies

International friendlies

World champions Brazil beat semi-finalists South Korea 3-2 with a last minute Ronaldinho penalty in their international football friendly today.

South Korea twice took the lead through Seol Ki-Hyeon (8) and Ahn Jung-Hwan (58) only for Brazil's World Cup finals goal-scoring hero Ronaldo to reply twice.

Paris Saint Germain's Ronaldinho showed little sign of nerves to slot in the killer blow for his 16th goal for Brazil.

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It was heartbreak for a 65,000-strong capacity crowd who had turned out to give the South Korean World Cup giant-killers a last hurrah.

Brazil took their time in hitting back but the blow was swift and telling when it came. Ronaldo latched on to a through ball from Bayern Munich's Ze Roberto and levelled the scores after 17 minutes.

Ronaldo had a hatful of chances early on and came close to giving the world champions the lead in the last minute of the half when he shot narrowly wide.

Instead it was the home side who went ahead.

In the 58th minute South Korea's star striker Ahn Jung-Hwan side-footed home a rebound from 'keeper Dida to make it 2-1.

Once more, it was Ronaldo who struck back through blistering pace.

He outran the defence and drove the ball through the legs of the South Korean goal keeper Lee Woon-Jae to leave the score at 2-2 after 68 minutes.

Then came the penalty, and Brazil clinched victory with the seconds ticking out.

Elsewhere, Argentina shrugged off memories of their disastrous World Cup campaign with a second-half onslaught to beat hosts Japan 2-0.

A Juan Pablo Sorin strike less than two minutes into the second half was followed a couple of minutes later by a Hernan Crespo header from a cross by Ariel Ortega.

PA/AFP