Togolese shrug off Korea loss after coach fiasco

LOME, June 13: Togolese soccer fans, disgruntled at an a coaching dispute and a row over player bonuses, took some consolation after their team scored on their World Cup debut before losing 2-1 to South Korea today.

''In the end there was more fear than there were goals,'' said Lome teacher Julien Ekue.

''I was so worried about them playing South Korea, who made the semi-finals in 2002. But they created the surprise of the World Cup by scoring first.'' Togo's Hawks, in their debut World Cup finals match, led the Asian team 1-0 after a 31st minute goal from Mohamed Kader Coubadja, triggering excited cheering around the West African country's capital Lome.

But celebrations proved premature when Jean-Paul Yaovi Abalo Dosseh was sent off early in the second half, conceding a freekick that allowed South Korea to equalise before they went on to beat 10-man Togo.

''This defeat was deserved,'' said Jeannot Atakui, dressed from head to toe in yellow, Togo's colour, after watching the match.

''With a little tweaking in the defence we will easily be able to play France and Switzerland,'' he added. Those teams, the other two teams in Group G, were playing shortly after the South Korea-Togo match ended.

A rumbling row over the Togolese players' demands for bonuses of 155,000 euros (196,200 dollars) each to play in the World Cup plus 30,000 each per win and 15,000 per draw prompted German coach Otto Pfister to walk out.

Officials from the small West African country, where average per capita income is well below 1,000 dollars, have said the demands are too high.

Eventually Pfister was confirmed as being on the bench for today's match with just hours to go, but the Togolese Football Federation said it will decide on his future tomorrow.

The dispute appeared to dampen Togolese appetite for the match, and many fewer people around town appeared to be wearing national colours than during the qualification rounds.

''They played well and all is not lost. There are still two matches left and it's up to Otto Pfister to give everybody their confidence back, because his departure demoralised everyone,'' said a nurse in Wuiti, north of Lome, who declined to be named.

REUTERS

Related Stories
Koreans come back to beat 10-man Togo 2-1
Kaka goal gives Brazil record-breaking win