Thursday, October 15, 2009

Togo, Senegal travel halfway around the world and get beaten

All the talk has been of the countries that would be in South Africa. So far, 22 have booked their places.

In Africa, the qualified nations are Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast and Michael Essien's Ghana. South Africa are there by default of course.

Friendly matches have been ongoing to prep teams that are yet to make it to the World Cup. After faiuling to qualify for the mundial Senegal travelled halfway around the world to South Korea...and were beaten 2-0. South Korea took the lead against Senegal just before the halftime interval as Ki Sung-Yong crashed home a well-struck left-footed effort. (First half highlights here.) Ki Sung-Yong claimed the second in the second-half.

Thanks to 101 Great Goals for the info.



As if getting beaten by Cameroon, is not enough trouble Emmanuel Adebayor's Togo also went all the way to Japan to get lashed 5-0.

Prolific Shimizu S-Pulse striker Shinji Okazaki opened the scoring after six minutes, and Okazaki soon chalked up his double with a cheeky backheel just two minutes later.

By the 11th minute the hosts were 3-up as Catania centre-forward Takayuki Morimoto expertly controlled a cross in the box, turned his marker and fired a low shot into the bottom corner. After the break Shinji Okazaki completed his hat-trick, before Keisuke Honda wrapped up the win with Japan’s fifth at the death. Thanks to 101 Great Goals for the info.