Group GLittle Togo, at their first World Cup finals, have wrapped up the "Saipan-Shoot-Yourself-In-The-Foot" award with the in-out-in-again saga concerning their German coach Otto Pfister. Four days ago, Pfister walked out on the team because of an unresolved dispute about players' match bonuses. Yesterday, on the eve of today's World Cup debut against South Korea, Pfister was back thanks, he claims, to pressure from his players.

Even before the Pfister saga, however, Togo had complicated their preparations by sacking his predecessor, Stephen Keshi, the man who earned their surprise qualification. Keshi paid the price of a disappointing showing at the African Cup of Nations in January. Against such a backdrop, much rides on the shoulders of Togo's few experienced players such as Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Metz midfielder Cherif Toure Mamam.

South Korea, too, come into this game under a deal of pressure. There will be many critics anxious to see if the team can reproduce their remarkable run of four years ago when, on home soil, the South Koreans went all the way to the semi-finals. Rest assured, if the South Koreans fail, many of us will conclude that great run owed much to home-town refereeing..

South Korea's coach, former Rangers and Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat, has complained he has had little time to prepare his side.

Four years ago, his predecessor, Gus Hiddink, now in charge of Australia, had the South Koreans in training for six months prior to the finals. This time, Advocaat has had his players for just three weeks. On top of that, he has to overcome South Korea's unenviable record of never having won a game on foreign soil in 14 matches at five different finals tournaments.

For all that, South Korea have to be the favourites today. With a side that includes players from 2002 as well as such as Manchester United's Park Ji-sung and MSV Duisburg's Ahn Jung-Hwan, the man who sent Italy packing with a golden goal four years ago, South Korea should have too much experience for Togo.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

SOUTH KOREA (4-3-3): Lee Woon-jae; Song Chong-gug, Choi jin-cheul, Kim Jin-kyu, Lee Young-pyo; Park Ji-sung, Kim Nam-il, Lee Eul-yong; Lee Chun-soo, Ahn Jung-Hwan, Seol Ki-hyeon`.

TOGO: Kossi Agassa; Dare Nibombe, Jean-Paul Abalo Dosseh, Massamasso Tchangai, Ludovic Assemoassa; Kuami Agboh, Thomas Dossevi, Cherif Toure-Maman, Alaixys Romao; Emmanuel Adebayor, Mohamed Kader Coubadja