South Korea To Go

South Korea vs Togo
Frankfurt

While many teams like to keep their starting team a secret, Togo went one better by keeping the trainer a secret. Actually, the trainer kept it a secret from the team. The 'will he, won't he' issue of the Togo trainer was finally resolved at kick-off, as Otto Pfister returned to the team.

The roof of the Frankfurt stadium was closed, to offer better television images to the watching public around the world. Unfortunately for the players and fans in the stadium though, without air-conditioning the place is like a sauna.

The hosts also scored an own-goal before the game kicked off by playing the South Korean national anthem twice.

Togo got their first ever World Cup Finals match underway but it was South Korea who made the first real attack; with Tottenham's full back, Young-Pyo Lee eventually fouled on the left wing.

The midfield passing between the teams, in the first twenty minutes, was rather careless; with long-balls also being over-hit. Nothing to test either goalkeeper, until Eul-Yong Lee's free-kick from the right need two attempts by Kossi Agassa to bring the ball under control.

Togo finally made up for all their bad preparations by taking the lead through Kader Mohamed. Taking the ball on the outside of his right thigh, the Guingamp forward skipped past Young-Chul Kim, glanced up briefly to see the positioning of the Korean goalkeeper and released the ball low to Woon-Jae Lee's right; in off the far post.

Just before half-time, Togo almost doubled their led when Junior Senaya's was tipped over the bar.

Korea had a couple of near chances to get on level terms before the break but Togo's defenders held out. South Korea didn't really show the enthusiasm they did on home soil at the last World Cup Finals in 2002.

Half-time: (0:1)

Togo's Junior Senaya bent down and kissed the Frankfurt turf before the start of the second-half.

First-half goalscorer, Kader Mohamed, forced an early corner at the start of the second-half.

Disaster for Togo as Jean-Paul Abalo, already on a yellow card, is shown a red card then a yellow by a mixed up Graham Poll. Abalo seemed to have lost his footing and then, as he was trying to get back on terms, clipped Ji-Sung Park on the edge of the area.

Chun-Soo Lee curled the free-kick over the wall to bring South Korea level.
Things went from bad to worse for Togo as Ludovic Assemoassa was stretchered off, on the hour; leaving the Africans down to nine men, with South Korea threatening to score.

Togo should have gone ahead after the substitution, when new man Assimiou Toure provided an excellent cross from the right, into the South Korean penalty area. The two Togolese strikers seemed shocked the ball reached them and the opportunity to gain an advantage was lost.

With an extra man on the field, substitute Jung-Hwan Ahn turned the game around; when his curled shot from outside the area couldn't be reached by the Togo goalkeeper.

With ten minutes to go, South Korea were content to pass the ball around; backwards. But they were caught out and Kader Mohamed almost made them pay.

Jae-Jin Cho bowed to the bench, then turned and bowed to the stadium; when he was substituted seven minutes from time.

South Korea had a final free-kick in injury team but the ball was passed short, then backwards; to jeers from the crowd.

Final Score:
South Korea 2 - Togo 1

Teams
South Korea: (Captain Woon-Jae Lee)
1 Woon-Jae Lee; 2 Young-Chul Kim, 4 Jin-Chul Choi, 6 Jin-Kyu Kim, 12 Young-Pyo Lee, 22 Chong-Gug Song; 7 Ji-Sung Park, 13 Eul-Yong Lee, 17 Ho Lee; 14 Chun-Soo Lee, 19 Jae-Jin Cho.

Togo: (Captain Jean-Paul Abalo)
16 Kossi Agassa; 2 Dare Nibombe, 3 Jean-Paul Abalo, 5 Massamasso Tchangai, 19 Ludovic Assemoassa; 10 Mamam Cherif-Toure, 15 Alaixys Romao, 18 Junior Senaya; 4 Emmanuel Adebayor, 7 Moustapha Salifou, 17 Kader Mohamed.

Referee:
Graham Poll (England)