Togo, Senegal Lose Friendlies To Japan Korea

Togo were thrashed 5-0 by Japan and South Korea beat Senegal 2-0 in international friendlies on Wednesday.

Both Japan and South Korea have already qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

In Sendai Shinji Okazaki scored a hat-trick for Japan against Togo, who lost 3-0 to Cameroon last Saturday to end their chances of going to the World Cup.

Togo had arrived in Japan half a day late with just 14 players after eight last-minute pullouts because of a financial dispute with the country’s FA.

The West Africans scrapped their only scheduled training session on Tuesday and their lack of preparation showed as they fell behind 3-0 after just 11 minutes.

Okazaki put Japan ahead in the fifth minute, redirecting a cross from Yasuhito Endo, then doubled the lead just two minutes later.

Takayuki Morimoto, who plays in Italy for Catania, scored his first goal for Japan in the 10th minute to give the hosts a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Okazaki headed in his third of the game in the 64th and Keisuke Honda, of Dutch club VVV Venlo, then completed the rout.

Meanwhile South Korea controlled much of the game but initially struggled to find a way past Senegal goalkeeper Chiekh Tidiane Ndiaye.

Ki Sung-yong, who will join Scottish side Celtic in January, opened the scoring three minutes before half-time as he shot home from 20 meters after good work from Bolton Wanderers’ winger Lee Chung-yong.

Then after both teams made a number of substitutions in the second half, the action slowed.

Manchester United star Park Ji-sung and Park Chu-young both missed chances to extend South Korea’s lead before Oh Beom-seok sealed the win ten minutes from time.

Senegal are undergoing a rebuilding process after failing to make the final round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.