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Togo 0 France 2 final score
23/06/2006: Second half goals from Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry secured France a 2-0 win against Togo and a place in the last 16 of the World Cup.
The French went into the match requiring that exact result and, following a nervy first half in which they missed a number of chances, they dominated after the break and finally got the break through they deserved. The victory is their first in the World Cup finals since they won the title in Paris in 1998 and a first on foreign soil in 24 years.
Switzerland defeated South Korea 2-0 to top Group G so Raymond Domenech's men will now face Spain in the second round on Monday evening, while Togo will go home from their first World Cup appearance after falling to three defeats in the group.
France started like a side which needed a two-goal victory in order to progress into the second round.
David Trezeguet fired an effort wide on four minutes, before Togo keeper Kossi Agassa tipped over the Juventus man's bullet header three minutes later.
Togo went up field and their first effort from Mohamed Kader Coubadja on 10 minutes was pushed away by Fabien Barthez.
Trezeguet was denied by a harsh offside flag on 14 minutes when he tapped in from close range after good work by Henry and Franck Ribery, before Agassa got down well to save Florent Malouda's long-range effort a minute later.
Trezeguet and Ribery then went on to miss great chances in the first half as they were either denied by the impressive Agassa or blazed attempts over the top from inside the area.
The best chance at the other end was from Mustapha Salifou on 28 minutes, but his shot through the legs of Lilian Thuram was well saved by Barthez.
Malouda stung the hands of Agassa on 40 minutes with a fierce drive and again Trezeguet could not convert the rebound past the Togo shot-stopper.
France started the second period well and, just after Ribery hammered another shot over the top, they finally got the breakthrough required on 55 minutes.
Ribery found Vieira free in the area and the Juventus man, celebrating his 30th birthday, turned and fired a sweet effort into the far corner of Agassa's net.
Six minutes later the game was all over when Claude Makelele's ball was headed down into the area by Vieira and Henry took a touch before firing a low shot past Agassa.
France looked happy to settle for that, although Trezeguet was denied the goal he craved by a good Agassa stop in the area and another offside flag in the latter stages of the game.
Pre-match ramble
Since winning the World Cup on home soil in 1998 and following that up with the European Cup crown two years later, French supporters have had little to shout about.
And few would have predicted that come World Cup 2006 and in a seemingly easy group containing Switzerland, South Korea and Togo, their nation's last group match against a poorly rated Togo side would become crucial to France's progress to the last 16.
But unfortunately for an ageing French side that is exactly what has happened after two draws in their opening two games. At least they managed to halt their inability to score in the World Cup with a strike from Thierry Henry against South Korea – their first for eight years having failed to find the back of the net at all during the 2002 tournament in Japan and Korea.
The last World Cup goal they had scored had come from Emmanuel Pettit, during their 3-0 win in the World Cup final against Brazil.
France now have to win to take one of the two top spots in the group. Despite their troubles, the betting suggests that they should not find it too difficult to score against troubled Togo.
Togo almost became the first team to refuse to play a World Cup game, when a pay dispute threatened to lead to a boycott.
Intervention from Fifa however, which agreed to pay the bonuses that the players feared would not come from their own football federation, solved the crisis and now the side containing Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor can concentrate on trying to earn their first World Cup point.
A 2-1 defeat in their opening match against South Korea followed by a 2-0 loss at the hands of Switzerland have left qualification beyond Togo, playing in their first World Cup. The team will want to make an impression on France, however, and test themselves against some of the best players in the world.
Winning the game by two goals will ensure progression for France, but even then few will be betting on Zidane's men to go much further if they continue to struggle in front of goal.
Even if France win 1-0, they could still be heading home if other results go against them.
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Comments on: Togo 0 France 2 final score
23/06/2006: If France shall be shy of firing in the first fifteen minutes then surely they'll go home. I personally believe the introduction of David Trezeguet should produce the goals France yearn.
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