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30 mai 2018
Denkey and Togo condemn South Korea
Togolese squad, for their first ever participation to the Festival, won an important game for the rest of the competition, beating South Korea 2-1. Kévin Denkey, the Nîmes Olympique striker, distinguished himself as he scored both Togolese goals.
Songs, victory roar and players kissing the pitch. Watching the Togolese players happiness at the final whistle was sufficient to understand the importance of this success. This day will definitely remain in Togolese football history. First edition and first win for Jean-Paul Abalo’s men. A victory earned painfully but so joyful for them.
Denkey, the key man
South Koreans' start the game better. 4th minute of playing, LeeKanjin, with a superb fireshot from 20 metres straight into the top corner finds the net of Agblemagnon. The Togolese keeper can’t do anything to stop the ball (1-0, 4th minute). Togo tries to react. This was without taking Denkey’s individual brilliance into account. The Nîmes Olympique player receives the ball on the edge of the area. Back to the goal, he protects his ball, turns around quickly and shoots with the right foot. After a difficult rebound to anticipate for Min, the ball finishes his way into the net (1-1, 17th minute). Togolese players are back in the game and intensify the pressing in Asian side. Koreans respond instantly with an unbelievable triple opportunity. Their chance has gone. Three minutes later, Denkey, once again, fires the Korean defence. From a perfect sidestep, he eliminates the defender and the keeper and then cheaps the ball to score the second goal for Togo (1-2, 33th).
Reduced to ten men, Togo don’t break up
From the beginning of the second half, Togo miss the occasion of finishing the game. Agoro, well served on the left side of the area by Denkey, completely misses his shot face to Min. The striker from Nîmes thinks he scored another goal right after but denied for a questionable off-side. Togo then finish the game with tem men from the hour of playing after the exclusion of Marco Boko for a dangerous foul. South Korea try to break the Togolese defence but don’t manage to be dangerous apart from a shot of Hwang deflected by Agblemagnon. Abalo’s men resist to the repeated assault of the South Koreans until the end and leave with an important win. Togo have now four points and are heading group B. For South Korea, with two losses, the qualification is now over for the following of the competition.
Jordan Bozonnet
Credits photo : Eric Estrade
