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Togo national football team

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Togo
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Les Eperviers
(The Sparrow Hawks)
AssociationFédération Togolaise de Football
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationWAFU (West Africa)
Head coachClaude Le Roy
CaptainSerge Akakpo
Top scorerEmmanuel Adebayor (30)[1]
Home stadiumStade de Kégué
FIFA codeTOG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current103 Steady (5 May 2016)
Highest41 (August 2006)
Lowest125 (September 2014)
First international
France French Togoland 1–1 Gold Coast  and Trans-Volta Togoland Gold Coast (British colony)
(French Togoland; 13 October 1956)
Biggest win
 Togo 6–0 Eswatini 
(Accra, Ghana; 11 November 2008)
Biggest defeat
 Morocco 7–0 Togo Togo
(Morocco; 28 October 1979)
 Tunisia 7–0 Togo Togo
(Tunis, Tunisia; 7 January 2000)
World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2006)
Best resultRound 1
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances7 (first in 1972)
Best resultQuarter-finals: 2013
Members of the Togolese national football team before a warm-up match in Biberach/Riss a few days before the 2006 World Cup

The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks), is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football. They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus underwent a fatal attack in Angola prior to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. They withdrew and were subsequently banned from the following two tournaments by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In 2013 for the first time in history, Togo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

History

They made their first FIFA World Cup appearance in their history in 2006, having been coached throughout the qualifying campaign by Stephen Keshi; German coach Otto Pfister managed the team at the finals, despite having resigned three days before their first match over a players' bonuses dispute, only to be persuaded by the players to return. Prior to gaining independence in 1960, the team were known as French Togoland.

2006 World Cup

Togo lost their opening game of the World Cup, despite having taken the lead against South Korea through a goal by Mohamed Kader. In the second half, Jean-Paul Abalo was sent off after 55 minutes, and goals from Lee Chun-Soo and Ahn Jung-Hwan sealed a 2–1 defeat for Togo.

Togo's next opponents in Group G were Switzerland, with the match scheduled for the afternoon of 19 June. However, the Togo squad and manager Pfister threatened to refuse to fulfill the fixture and take strike action. The squad and manager had been quoted as requesting payments from the Fédération Togolaise de Football for participating in the tournament of around 155,000 (US$192,000) with added bonuses for victories or draws. FIFA negotiated with the squad and manager on 17 June, persuading them to travel to Dortmund in time to fulfill the fixture;[2] goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta resulted in a 2–0 defeat. FIFA subsequently imposed a CHF100,000 fine on the Togolese federation for "behaviour unworthy of a participant in the World Cup."[3]

Togo's final group game against France ended in 2–0 defeat.

Sierra Leone air disaster

After a 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier away to Sierra Leone on 3 June 2007, 20 members of a delegation of sports officials from Togo, including Togolese Sports Minister Richard Attipoe, were killed when their helicopter exploded and crashed at Lungi International Airport. No players of the Togo national team were among the victims. The Togo players and officials of the team had been waiting to take the next helicopter flight to the island on which the airport is located.

2010 bus ambush and ban

On 8 January 2010, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, killing three and injuring several others. The separatist group Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale was reported dead a day after the attack.[4] Such reports were later dismissed by his club GSI Pontivy in a press announcement, stating the player was actually undergoing surgery in South Africa.[5]

Following the bus ambush attack, the Fédération Togolaise de Football stated that they would withdraw from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations; despite claims that the team had since reversed the decision and would compete "to show our national colours, our values and that we are men" (as announced by Thomas Dossevi),[6] the government later ordered that the team return home.[7]

Following the team's withdrawal, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Togo from participating in the next two editions of the Cup of Nations and fined them $50,000 because of the "decision taken by the political authorities".[8][9][10] The CAF executive Committee considered that the Togolese team was in "forfeit notified less than twenty days before the start or during the final competition" (Art. 78 of the Regulations for the Africa Cup of Nations),[8][11] rather than having withdrawn (Art. 80), and refused to consider the circumstances as force majeure (Art. 87). Togo's government immediately said they would sue as CAF "have no consideration for the lives of other human beings" and this is further "insulting to the family of those who lost their lives and those traumatized because of the attack".[9] FIFA has yet to comment on the issue.[9] Togo footballer Thomas Dossevi said "We are a group of footballers who came under fire and now we can't play football any more. They are crushing us".[9] Togolese captain Emmanuel Adebayor described the decision as "outrageous" and said that CAF President Issa Hayatou had "completely betrayed" the Togo squad.[12]

As a result of the events, Emmanuel Adebayor announced his retirement from international football on 12 April 2010. But on 22 March 2011 Adebayor announced that he was again available for the national team.

Fake Togo Team

On 7 September 2010, Togo allegedly played Bahrain in a friendly losing the match 3–0. However, on 14 September, the Togo FA claimed that a fake team had played against Bahrain. Togo's Sport Minister Christophe Tchao said to the Jeune Afrique magazine that nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game".[13] On 20 September 2010, it was revealed that former Togo manager Bana Tchanile was the culprit and the Togo FA have given him a three-year ban in addition to the two-year ban he got in July 2010 for taking Togo players to play a tournament in Egypt.[14] The match fixing has been linked to Wilson Raj Perumal and the Singaporean match-fixing syndicate allegedly run by Tan Seet Eng.[15]

2014 World Cup Qualification

Togo began qualification for the 2014 World Cup on November 11, 2011 against Guinea-Bissau. They drew in the first leg 1–1. On November 15, 2011, they won the return leg 1–0. On June 3, 2012, they played Libya in Lome and drew 1–1. Shortly after on June 10, they played Congo DR at Kinshasa and lost 2–0. They resumed on March 3, 2013 and played Cameroon in Yaounde and lost 2–1. They met again on June 9 in Lome and Togo won 2–0. In the end, Togo failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

World Cup record

FIFA World Cup record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 to
Mexico 1970
Did Not Enter
West Germany 1974 to
Spain 1982
Did Not Qualify
Mexico 1986 to
Italy 1990
Withdrew
United States 1994 to
South Korea Japan 2002
Did Not Qualify
Germany 2006 Group Stage 30th 3 0 0 3 1 6
South Africa 2010 to
Russia 2018
Did Not Qualify
Total Group Stage 1/20 3 0 0 3 1 6

Africa Cup of Nations record

Year Position Year Position Year Position
Sudan 1957 Did not enter Ghana 1978 Did not qualify Burkina Faso 1998 Round 1
Egypt 1959 Did not enter Nigeria 1980 Did not qualify GhanaNigeria 2000 Round 1
Ethiopia 1962 Did not enter Libya 1982 Did not qualify Mali 2002 Round 1
Ghana 1963 Did not enter Ivory Coast 1984 Round 1 Tunisia 2004 Did not qualify
Tunisia 1965 Did not enter Egypt 1986 Did not qualify Egypt 2006 Round 1
Ethiopia 1968 Did not qualify Morocco 1988 Did not qualify Ghana 2008 Did not qualify
Sudan 1970 Did not qualify Algeria 1990 Withdrew Angola 2010 Withdrew due to rebel attack
Cameroon 1972 Round 1 Senegal 1992 Did not qualify Equatorial GuineaGabon2012 Did not qualify
Egypt 1974 Withdrew Tunisia 1994 Withdrew during qualifying South Africa 2013 Quarter-Final
Ethiopia 1976 Did not qualify South Africa 1996 Did not qualify Equatorial Guinea 2015 Did not qualify

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification games against Tunisia on 25 and 29 March 2016.[16]
Caps and goals updated as of 29 March 2016 after the game against Tunisia.[17]

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Kossi Agassa (1978-07-02) 2 July 1978 (age 46) 59 0 France Reims
1GK Cédric Mensah (1989-03-06) 6 March 1989 (age 35) 13 0 France Colmar

2DF Abdoul-Gafar Mamah (1985-08-24) 24 August 1985 (age 39) 76 0 Moldova Dacia Chișinău
2DF Serge Akakpo (1987-10-15) 15 October 1987 (age 37) 51 2 Turkey Trabzonspor
2DF Sadat Ouro-Akoriko (1988-02-01) 1 February 1988 (age 36) 28 1 Saudi Arabia Al-Faisaly
2DF Djené Dakonam (1991-12-31) 31 December 1991 (age 32) 22 0 Spain Alcorcón
2DF Donou Kokou (1991-04-24) 24 April 1991 (age 33) 14 1 Nigeria Enugu Rangers
2DF Mawouna Amevor (1991-12-16) 16 December 1991 (age 32) 8 0 England Notts County
2DF Martin Nouwoklo (1993-05-24) 24 May 1993 (age 31) 8 0 Togo Togo-Port
2DF Joseph Yaovi Douhadji (1994-12-05) 5 December 1994 (age 29) 0 0 Nigeria Rivers United

3MF Alaixys Romao (1984-01-18) 18 January 1984 (age 40) 58 0 France Marseille
3MF Dové Womé (1991-06-08) 8 June 1991 (age 33) 29 6 South Africa SuperSport United
3MF Prince Segbefia (1991-03-11) 11 March 1991 (age 33) 20 0 Turkey Elazığspor
3MF Lalawélé Atakora (1990-11-09) 9 November 1990 (age 33) 19 1 Sweden Helsingborg
3MF Mathieu Dossevi (1988-02-12) 12 February 1988 (age 36) 9 0 Belgium Standard Liège
3MF Farid Zato-Arouna (1992-04-23) 23 April 1992 (age 32) 3 0 Czech Republic Sigma Olomouc
3MF Henri Eninful (1992-07-21) 21 July 1992 (age 32) 2 0 Cyprus Doxa

4FW Emmanuel Adebayor (1984-02-26) 26 February 1984 (age 40) 63 29 England Crystal Palace
4FW Serge Gakpé (1987-05-07) 7 May 1987 (age 37) 37 4 Italy Atalanta
4FW Jonathan Ayité (1985-07-21) 21 July 1985 (age 39) 24 6 Turkey Alanyaspor
4FW Camaldine Abraw (1990-08-15) 15 August 1990 (age 34) 9 0 South Africa Kaizer Chiefs
4FW Komi-Foovi Aguidi (1992-12-31) 31 December 1992 (age 31) 2 0 Ghana Hearts of Oak
4FW Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba (1992-01-27) 27 January 1992 (age 32) 2 0 Gabon US Bitam

Recent call-ups

The following players were called up in the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Djehani Nguissan (1990-02-01) 1 February 1990 (age 34) 6 0 Togo Dynamic Togolais v.  Uganda, 15 November 2015
GK Nouridine Yacoubou (1992-02-11) 11 February 1992 (age 32) 1 0 Togo Semassi v.  Uganda, 15 November 2015
GK Jean-Robert Klomegah (1990-12-06) 6 December 1990 (age 33) 0 0 Togo Togo-Port v.  Liberia, 14 June 2015

DF Vincent Bossou (1986-02-07) 7 February 1986 (age 38) 19 0 Tanzania Young Africans v.  Uganda, 15 November 2015
DF Kodjo Dadzié (1986-05-14) 14 May 1986 (age 38) 4 0 Togo Gomido v.  Uganda, 15 November 2015
DF Alban Sabah (1992-06-22) 22 June 1992 (age 32) 1 0 Germany Waldhof Mannheim v.  Liberia, 14 June 2015

MF Floyd Ayité (1988-12-15) 15 December 1988 (age 35) 26 4 France Bastia v.  Tunisia, 25 March 2016 INJ
MF Sapol Mani (1991-06-05) 5 June 1991 (age 33) 14 3 Moldova Dacia Chișinău v.  Djibouti, 4 September 2015
MF Komlan Amewou (1983-12-15) 15 December 1983 (age 40) 63 4 Oman Sur v.  Liberia, 14 June 2015
MF Aboubacar Rachidou (1992-12-14) 14 December 1992 (age 31) 1 0 Togo Anges v.  Liberia, 14 June 2015

FW Peniel Mlapa (1991-02-20) 20 February 1991 (age 33) 0 0 Germany VfL Bochum v.  Tunisia, 25 March 2016 INJ
FW Euloge Placca Fessou (1994-12-01) 1 December 1994 (age 29) 8 0 Belgium Oosterzonen v.  Uganda, 15 November 2015
FW Franck Mawuena (1992-11-21) 21 November 1992 (age 31) 1 0 Free agent v.  Uganda, 15 November 2015
FW Backer Aloenouvo (1990-07-04) 4 July 1990 (age 34) 13 4 Iraq Al-Karkh v.  Liberia, 14 June 2015
Notes

INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.

Coaches

References

  1. ^ Mamrud, Roberto; Stokkermans, Karel. "Players with 100+ Caps and 30+ International Goals". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Sky Sports | Football News". Home.skysports.com. Retrieved 2010-02-04. [dead link]
  3. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20071001150738/http://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,120470,00.html?articleid=120470. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2006. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Reuters (2010-01-09). "African Cup of Nations — NoConfusion over Togo death toll". Retrieved 2010-02-01. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ "Kodjovi Obilalé n'est pas décédé des suites de ses blessures (Agence AFP)" (in French). Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  6. ^ Nick Reeves (2010-01-10). "Togo in dramatic African Nations Cup u-turn". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  7. ^ "Togo officially disqualified from Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 2010-01-11. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  8. ^ a b Togo's withdrawal, Confederation of African Football, 30 January 2010
  9. ^ a b c d "Togo banned from next two Africa Cups of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  10. ^ "Togo suspended for next two Africa Nations Cup". Xinhua. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  11. ^ Regulations of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (PDF), Confederation of African Football
  12. ^ Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor slams 'outrageous' ban, BBC Sport, 31 January 2010
  13. ^ 'Fake' Togo football team at Bahrain match being investigated, BBC News, 15 September 2010
  14. ^ Fake mastermind behind fake Togo team revealed!, Yahoo, 20 September 2010
  15. ^ Buncombe, Andrew (29 March 2013). "Dan Tan: the man who fixed football". The Independent. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  16. ^ "Tom Saintfiet convoque 25 joueurs" (in French). ftftogo.com.
  17. ^ "Togo".