DAEJEON, South Korea -- In this most crazy World Cup, the United States found a goofy way to advance: with a loss.

Despite the loss, Frankie Hejduk and his American teammates can celebrate.(AP)

The Americans gave up two goals in the first five minutes, were trailing Poland by three goals with just 22 minutes left, and were about to get knocked out of the World Cup in the first round for the second straight time.

Then came the shocking news from Incheon: South Korea had scored against Portugal. Suddenly, the United States was back in.

And back in they did.

Needing just a tie to advance, the United States flopped to Poland 3-1 Friday night. But the Americans still finished second in their group because South Korea held on for a 1-0 victory over the fifth-ranked Portuguese.

Thank you, South Korea.

"We owe a lot to Korea today," said U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who saved a penalty kick for the second straight game.

Poland, already eliminated with losses in its first two games, had taken a 3-0 lead in the 66th minute. Two minutes later, the crowd of 26,482 in Daejeon World Cup Stadium roared when Park Ji-sung scored at Incheon.

Out on the field, most of the Americans figured out what happened.

"I heard the crowd go nuts. I assumed a goal for South Korea," Landon Donovan said. "I didn't want to hope for it and have it not happen."

But it did, and the Americans will play their first second-round match since 1994, on Monday against regional rival Mexico.

"It's crazy, huh?" Brian McBride said. "It's going to be a battle."

France and Argentina, two of the top world powers, may be gone from this upset-filled tournament, but the United States is among the final 16.

"A lot of teams got through with a bit of luck. Italy, one of the best teams in the world, got through with luck, so we'll take it. We're happy," U.S. captain Claudio Reyna said.

At first the American bench didn't know what to make of the crowd roar. McBride, who already had come out of the game, turned around with a wild-eyed look as if to say, "Could this be true?"

When the South Korea game ended, the crowd roared again. Players weren't sure whether the Red Devils had scored again or whether South Korea had won.

"There was a guy two rows deep who jumped up," McBride said. "I said, 'Oh my God, it must be true!'"

Some of the U.S. players held their hands to their heads in disbelief. Their game went on for another 3 minutes, 35 seconds, as both sides kicked the ball back and forth, knowing it was meaningless.

"Days like this, it's better to be lucky than good," Friedel said.

The Americans began the tournament with a stunning 3-2 upset of Portugal, but it's been downhill from there. They wasted a late lead in a 1-1 tie with South Korea, then floundered Monday,

Players didn't celebrate, but they weren't sullen, either.

"It's a great, great day for U.S. soccer, a very lucky day for U.S. soccer," Friedel said.

South Korea (2-0-1) won the group with seven points, the United States (1-1-1) was second with four and Portugal (1-2) was third with three, ahead of Poland (1-2) on goal difference.

"If we had lost the first game, tied the second and won this, we would have been elated," said Donovan, who scored in the 83rd minute off a pass from Clint Mathis.

Poland inserted six new starters, including five players making their World Cup debuts. Emmanuel Olisadebe and Pawel Kryszalowicz scored in the first five minutes, and Donovan had a goal disallowed in between. Marcin Zewlakow added a goal in the 66th, just a minute after entering the game.

"We wanted to make up for the bad start and go out with a win. We played excellent soccer tonight," Poland goalkeeper Radoslaw Majdan said.

Friedel was outstanding again, diving to his left to deny Maciej Zurawski's penalty kick in the 76th minute after Tony Sanneh's foul on Kryszalowicz.

On the negative side, defender Jeff Agoos played a role in the first two goals -- he's been involved in four of the six the Americans have allowed -- and came off in the 36th minute with a strained right groin.

Frankie Hejduk, one of the outside backs, got his second yellow card of the first round and will be suspended for the Mexico game.

After the two quick goals, the Americans seemed shaken, getting to many balls a split-second too late. They resorted to taking long shots, almost as if they were trying for a 3-pointer that would get them back in it.

"It was like we wanted to score two goals in one shot," Stewart said.

Poland's first goal, just 2 minutes, 45 seconds in, came when Agoos missed his attempt to clear Jacek Krzynowek's corner kick, Olisadebe headed it off U.S. midfielder John O'Brien, the kicked the rebound in off the bottom of the crossbar.

Less than 60 seconds later, Donovan outjumped Arkadiusz Glowacki to head the ball in, but Chinese referee Lu Jun called it back for a push.

"I don't think I'm strong enough to foul that guy,"' the 5-foot-8 Donovan said.

Poland then rushed upfield, and Kryszalowicz scored from inside the 6-yard box, beating Agoos to a pass from Krzynowek.

"You wait all day for this moment and in the first five minutes blow it," Stewart said. "It's very painful."

It turned out none of this mattered.

"We're into the second round," defender Eddie Pope said. "A lot of very good teams aren't in the second round, they're going home, but we're still here."

Notes

• Joe-Max Moore, who replaced McBride in the second half, made his 100th international appearance.
• The United States beat Mexico 1-0 on April 3, but neither team was close to full strength.