Team Korea Downs Togo in Cup Opener

Every four years, June brings a legend. June colors the entire stadium and each corner of the street in red. Korea didn’t go to sleep yesterday; it was awake with joy.

Korea’s victory was not to be denied by the spells or charms of Togo.

South Korea`s national football team won in a comeback, 2-1 over an outmanned Togo team in a hard-fought opening match in Group G of the 2006 World Cup in Frankfurt.

Ahn Jung-Hwan, whose nickname is “prince of the ring,” constantly knocked at the goal’s gate, and 25 minutes in the second half, finally sent a golden goal into the net.

It was the turning point leading to comeback 2-1 victory of the Korean team which had conceded the first goal to Togo.

It was a similar moment to when the Korean team advanced to the semifinals in 2002 World Cup after defeating the Polish team in the opening game, which many Koreans call “the legend of June.”

In the 31st minute of the first half, Togo struck first, however. Kader Coubadja took a pinpoint pass from midfield by Yao Senaya, the speedy man of Togo, racing the right side and drove the ball into the net.

Korea stepped up is offensive pressure after a relatively slow start in the first half. At nine minutes into the later half, Park Ji-Sung, rushed the net, but was blocked by Togo’s defender, Jean Paul Yaobi Abalo, who ended up with a yellow card.

With a free kick just outside the middle of the box, Lee Chun-soo sent a line-drive into the left corner of the net. The ball went over the head of the Togo defenders and a frozen Togo goalkeeper. Korean players reinvigorated by tying the score steadily ground down the Togolese with one more goal, cementing their victory.

With the three points from the win, South Korea`s bid to go beyond the preliminary rounds sharply improved. Korea will have a good chance to advance if it at least ties one of the rest of its games with either France (June 19) or Switzerland (June 24).

Won-Hong Lee Sung-Won oo bluesky@donga.com swon@donga.com