SEOUL, 15 June 2006 — South Koreans revelled yesterday in the national team’s World Cup win against Togo, seizing on a growing conviction that the glory days of 2002 are about to be repeated.
“Awesome Korea,” crowed Sports Seoul, predicting that the country’s next opponents, 1998 World Cup winners France, would be “crushed.” Poor pre-cup results against Norway and Ghana had dented South Korean confidence in the team’s ability to repeat its incredible feat of 2002, when it went all the way to the semi-finals, stunning the football world.
But in just 90-minutes Tuesday, the doubts were swept away with the Group-G win against 10-man Togo, with South Korea coming from behind to triumph 2-1.
“Spirit of 2002 alive and well,” ran the banner headline of the JoongAng Daily.
Grinning proudly in a red tee-shirt inscribed with the words “With the Reds, Dream Again,” student Chung Kwan-Youn was one of 300,000 fans thronging the streets of downtown Seoul.
“I am so happy, especially because we came from behind to win,” said the economics student. “Even when we were one down, I never doubted we would win.” The South Korea team is in Group-G with France, Switzerland and Togo and will play France in its next game on June 18.
Some 1.5 million South Koreans took to the streets to watch the Togo game on big screen TVs set up in cities across the country.
FIFA Says Pitch Invaders Will Be Punished
In Berlin, ruling body FIFA is discussing how it can stop people running on the pitch during World Cup matches and will ensure violators are punished.
“We will do everything to prevent this sort of thing and to punish people who do it,” FIFA spokesman Gerd Graus told reporters on Wednesday.
A Croatian fan surprised security forces during Tuesday’s game against champions Brazil by leaping over the two-meter wide moat that surrounds the field at the Olympiastadion and running on the pitch.
He was led off by a Croatian player without incident and handed over to police.
More than 100 stewards were in the stadium to prevent fans getting on the pitch and Graus said FIFA was discussing ways to position them better.
“Berlin is the toughest stadium for fans to get on to the field so this surprised us,” said Graus. “You have to be incredibly athletic to jump on to the pitch like this guy did.” A spokesman at the Berlin prosecutor’s office said the man, who was in custody on Wednesday, faced a fine. FIFA could also pursue separate charges against the man for trespassing.
Ecuador Manager’s Passion for Smaller Ball
In Bad Kissingen, Ecuador manager Luis Fernando Suarez has a favorite sport. And it’s not soccer.
Suarez said on Tuesday his favorite sport is tennis, although he confessed he’s not that good with the racket.
“I think I like tennis more than soccer. I love it although I’m not a good player,” said the Colombia-born coach. “I barely pass (the ball over the net), and sometimes I might hit it good.
It relaxes me, makes me think about other things. We have to deal with a lot of stress.” Suarez said he played a friendly match on Tuesday against Ecuador’s sport minister Omar Cevallos. The result? He lost 6-4, 6-4.
“It was a friendly match, nothing on the line,” he joked.
Sub Stars
Julio Cruz scored two goals and Lionel Messi had another in a practice game on Tuesday between an under-20 Argentine team and a side of starters and substitutes on the Argentine national team.
Just like Messi, Cruz did not play a minute in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.
“I’m eager to play,” Cruz said.
He’s not alone. Argentina has four strikers waiting for a chance behind starters Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola. Coach Jose Pekerman is expected to use the same 11 on Friday against Serbia-Montenegro.
Eye Opener
The United States 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic was seen by 2.14 million American households watching the broadcast in English, the most to see a soccer game on the ESPN2 cable channel.
Monday’s match was the most-watched program on the channel this year.
At the 2002 tournament in South Korea, the Americans’ 3-2 opening win over Portugal was watched by 998,000 households on ESPN2. The 2002 game began at 5 a.m. on the East Coast — and 2 a.m. on the West Coast — while Monday’s game in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, started at noon in New York.
