World Cup football ‘sparrowhawks’ Togo team-South Korea

This 2017 video says about itself:

Our local expert birding guide James Ntakor took this video of a Red-thighed Sparrowhawk during a recent Ashanti African Tours Ghana birding tour at Abrafo Forest near Kakum National Park here in Ghana. Small in size, mainly feeding on small birds, frogs, lizards and insects we often find this species is more active in the early mornings and late afternoons.

For the first time ever, the national team of the smallest country of the African continent made it to the final rounds of the world soccer (football) championship.

During it first match in Germany, against South Korea, visitors to the site of the football league of Togo, when polled where the team would end up in its first round, thought fourth and last.

Many African national teams have nicknames.

For instance, Cameroon, often a world cup participant in the past, has as nickname for its national team players “lions”.

Nigeria, the most populous country of Africa, calls them “eagles”.

Small Togo calls it team after a smaller, though plucky, bird of prey: “les éperviers”.

World media often translate that simply as “the hawks’.

However, more precisely, it is “the sparrowhawks”.

The site of the Togo football association used to have (but doesn’t seem to any more now) an extensive dictionary (in French) on football in Togo.

However, there was no explanation there of the name “éperviers”.

A sparrowhawk species, nesting in a Togo nature reserve, is the red-thighed sparrowhawk.

Well, I personally saw a (European) sparrowhawk drive away a bigger bird of prey …

In the first half time, Togo scored the first goal.

Mohamed Kader was the scorer.

However, in the second half time, a Togo player was sent off by the referee, meaning they had to continue with ten players against eleven Koreans.

South Korea then equalized by a free kick by Lee.

Even though Togo were one player down, they still sometimes managed to attack dangerously.

However, Korean substitute Ahn made it 2-1 for South Korea.

Togo still tried to equalize.

South Korea had some chances to make it 3-1.

However, there were no more goals: South Korea won.

Their first victory ever in a World Cup not in South Korea itself.

From the Google cache of Dear Kitty ModBlog:

Togo: football and birds of prey Linking: 4 Comments: 3

Date: 10/9/05

Mood: Looking Playing: South Africa, by Ruud Gullit

For the first time ever, the national team of the smallest country of the African continent made it to the final rounds of the world soccer (football) championship.

This weekend, the team of Togo qualified.

The finals will be next year in Germany.

Primates of Togo and Benin: here.