ANTALYA, Turkey — In a solid rendition, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz were able to hold World Cup-bound South Korea to a 2-2 draw in their friendly international inside the Mardan Stadium here yesterday.

Reno 1868 FC striker Dane Kelly gave Jamaica an excellent start in the fifth minute, a strike that for a moment unhinged the Asian powerhouses.

The Boyz were sitting pretty having gone to the dressing room with a 1-0 half-time lead.

But the Koreans did not take long to regain their keel on the resumption, and in what appeared to be the blink of an eye, they found the equaliser in the 55th minute and the the go-ahead goal eight minutes later through the towering striker Kim Shinwook.

But from the bench, Portmore United’s Maalique Foster popped up with a brilliant right-footed strike in the 72nd minute from 20 yards to bring the Boyz back into the contest for his second goal in as many games on the tour of this seaside Turkish city.

The game started at a rapid pace with both teams trading attacks, though the South Koreans seemed more consistently menacing.

And in the fifth minute Jamaica, like its fearsome tropical storms, blew into the lead when Kelly ran onto a Ladale Richie long-range pass, holding off the challenge of captain Jang Hyunsoo inside the box to turn and blast left-footed past Kim Seung-Gyu in goal.

Apparently shaken and stirred by the goal, South Korea intensified their probes at the other end and in the seventh minute, Lee Jaesung whipped a header goal-ward, but the effort flew marginally high of debutant Amal Knight’s goal.

The South Koreans, who strategically concentrated on using the flanks for launching their raids, did so again in the 23rd minute with Lee Keunho crossing delightfully from the right side, but the towering Kim Shinwook could not beat Knight with his header.

Six minutes later, the Asians threatened again with the head through Lee Jaesung, but the Jamaican goalie turned up for work on time to manage the danger.

In quick succession, the Boyz turned the action the other way in the 30th minute when Kelly deceived his marker, but his shot was charged down.

And from the continuing play, the ball found its way out wide to Kemar Lawrence who hoodwinked his man to dart down the left channel, and with his crafty left foot blasted at the near postforcing Kim Seunggyu to parry.

On the resumption, South Korea stepped up their hunt for the equaliser and they hit the lottery when Kim Shinwook rose majestically to head home from Choi Chulson’s precision cross from the right side.

After a sustained spell of pressure, the Korean giant Kim Shinwook struck again in the 63rd minute as Jamaican defenders found him a sticky problem in aerial conflicts. The Korean antagonist glided behind the Jamaican defence to flash a header past Knight from a delicate forward ball from Jung Wooyoung.

And when it appeared the game was slipping away, Jamaica found a moment of magic through Foster, who did justice to a brilliant passing sequence involving Shaun Francis, Lawrence and Je-Vaughn Watson, who dished out the final pass for the Portmore man to deliver the coup de grace, lashing home from 20 yards with the right boot.

In the 85th minute, Jamaica’s indecisive passing out of the back almost got them in trouble when they gave away possession in a dangerous area, but substitute goalkeeper Shaven Paul blocked the incoming stinger from Kim Seunghdae, though he couldn’t hold on.

Backtracking defender Shawn Lawes, on for Lawrence, threw himself into the path of the follow-up shot to save the day.

South Korea are using the match as part of preparations for their participation in the Russia FIFA World Cup, where they will contest Group F with Germany, Mexico and Sweden.

Jamaica, meantime, are building up for the CONCACAF League of Nations, which kicks off later this year.

Teams

Jamaica — Amal Knight (Shaven Paul 81st), Ladale Richie, Fabion McCarthy, Shaun Francis, Oneil Fisher, Kemar Lawrence (Shawn Lawes 81st), Je-Vaughn Watson, Devon Williams (Tevin Shaw 81st), Ricardo Morris (Jamiel Hardware 57th), Dane Kelly, Jovan East (Maalique Foster 57th).

Subs not used: Javain Brown, Alex Marshall, Owayne Gordon, Chevone Marsh.

Booked: Kelly (40th), Francis (49th)

South Korea — Kim Seunggyu, Choi Chulsoon, Kim Jinsu, Yun Youngsun (Jung Seunghyun 81st), Kim Shinwook, Lee Keunho (Lee Seungi 81st), Jung Wooyoung (Kim Minjae 81st), Lee Jaesing, Jang Hyunsoo, Son Junho (Kim Sungjoon 45th), Lee Changmin (Kim Seungdae 45th).

Subs not used: Hong Chul, Lee Chandong, Go Yoahn, Kim Taehwan, Jin Seonguk, Kim Younggwon, Jo Hyeonwoo, Kim Dongjun.

Booked: None

Referee: Alper Ulusoy (Turkey)

Assistant referees: Kerem Ersoy, Caglar Uyarcan (Turkey)

Fourth official: Koray Gencerler (Turkey)