Ahn Jung-Hwan scored the winning goal in the 72nd minute on Tuesday to give South Korea a 2-1 win over Togo and their first World Cup victory away from home.
Ahn, who also scored the winner against Italy four years ago to send the Koreans into the World Cup semifinals, sent a 25m shot past Togo goalkeeper Kossi Agassa.
The win gives South Korea three points in Group G, which also includes France and Switzerland.
Lee Chun-Soo scored South Korea’s equaliser in the 54th minute after Mohamed Kader had given the African team the lead in the 31st minute with a shot from 14m.
Togo almost scored another in the first half when Yao Junior Senay’s free-kick was saved in the 41st minute.
South Korea started strongly in the second half and Togo captain Jean-Paul Abalo, who was booked in the first half for a foul, was sent off in the 53rd minute after receiving a second yellow for bringing down Park Ji-Sung.
Abalo had stumbled while turning and Park was through on goal when he was fouled.
It was a turning point in the game, with Lee scoring from the ensuing free kick.
With the one-player advantage, South Korea then dominated possession.
Besides the two yellows to Abalo, English referee Graham Poll handed out six other cards — two to South Korea and four to Togo.
In the 60th minute, Togo’s Ludovic Assemoassa fell awkwardly and was carried off the field.
Togo played the match with coach Otto Pfister on the bench. The 68-year-old German resigned on Friday and agreed to come back on Monday.
South Korea are playing in their sixth straight World Cup. The team made its debut in 1954, but had to wait 48 years for its first win — at home — in 2002. The Koreans defeated Portugal, Italy and Spain on their way to the semifinals.
South Korea will play their second group match on Sunday against France in Leipzig, while Togo will play Switzerland the following day in Dortmund. — Sapa-AP