Talismanic striker Ahn Jung-Hwan came off the bench to score the winner for South Korea in their come-from-behind 2-1 victory over 10-man Togo in their Group G World Cup opener here on Tuesday.
Ahn, a hero in South Korea for his vital goals in the 2002 World Cup when they reached the last four, scored with a dipping shot in the 72nd minute.
Mohamed Kader had given Togo a surprise first-half lead but the dismissal of captain Jean-Paul Abalo early in the second half and the equaliser from Lee Chun-Soo gave them a moutain to climb
"I am very happy for the first win," said Ahn, who was named man-of-the-match.
"In the first half we were a little bit shaky but in the second half we got things together much better." Ahn paid tribute to Dutch coach Dick Advocaat's decision to bring him on. "Mr Advocaat's tactics were good," he said.
South Korea started with an attacking 3-4-3 formation as they sought an early advantage against the African debutants. Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung was deployed as a right winger with Spurs' Lee Young-Pyo playing left midfield instead of his usual wing back position. Advocaat's line-up included seven players who competed in the 2002 World Cup when South Korea strode to the semi-finals, although he left Ahn on the bench.
Togo had their first real sight on goal after 10 minutes when indecision in the South Korean defence allowed Kader a shooting opportunity but his effort sailed over the bar. Park was receiving some rough treatment and Abalo was shown a yellow card for a foul on the Korean star in the 22nd minute with Alaixys Romao following Abalo into the book for a crude challenge.
Togo stunned the Koreans by taking the lead in the 31st minute. Kader took a long ball on his knee, darted between two flat-footed Korean defenders and shot low into the net.
It was the 50th goal Korea had conceded in the World Cup finals. Togo nearly increased their lead in the 41st minute, a wickedly swinging free kick from Yao Junior Senaya being brilliantly palmed over by Korean 'keeper Lee Won-Jae.
Advocaat gambled at the start of the second half by putting on striker Ahn in place of central defender Kim Jin-Kyu. Togo nearly capitalised on the short-handed defence, the tricky Kader finding room for a shot which Lee blocked. Togo were hit with a double blow when they were reduced to 10 men and conceded a goal in the 54th minute.
Skipper Abalo was sent off after receiving a second yellow for a foul on the rampaging Park and Lee Chun-Soo sent the resulting free-kick into the top corner of the net.
Togo refused to go into a defensive shell and Moustapha Salifou clipped the ball just over in the 64th minute after great work by Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.
Ahn, who made the whole of Italy cry with his golden goal winner in the second round in 2002, took Korea back to the future with a goal in the 72nd minute. He picked up the ball, glided across the penalty box and unleashed a dipping right-foot shot past goalkeeper Kossi Agassa.
TODAY'S MATCH SCHEDULE:
Spain vs Ukraine in Leipzig 1300 GMT, Tunisia vs Saudi Arabia in Munich 1600 GMT, Germany vs Poland in Dortmund 1900 GMT.
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