Togo national football team

Togo
Nickname(s) Les Eperviers
(The Sparrow Hawks)
Association Fédération Togolaise de Football
Sub-confederation WAFU (West Africa)
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Head coach Tchakala Tchanilé
Captain Serge Akakpo
Top scorer Emmanuel Adebayor (29)[1]
Home stadium Stade de Kégué
FIFA code TOG
FIFA ranking 80 Decrease 5 (9 April 2015)
Highest FIFA ranking 46 (August 2006)
Lowest FIFA ranking 125 (September 2014)
Elo ranking 103 (31 March 2015)
Highest Elo ranking 56 (November 2005, January 2006)
Lowest Elo ranking 128 (4 September 1994)
First colours
Second colours
First international
France French Togoland 1–1 Gold Coast 
(French Togoland; 13 October 1956)
Biggest win
 Togo 6–0 Swaziland 
(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
Appearances 1 (First in 2006)
Best result Round 1
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances 7 (First in 1972)
Best result Quarter-finals: 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-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 Pfitser 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 World Cup.

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 Did Not Qualify
Brazil 2014
Total Group Stage 1/20 3 0 0 3 1 6

Africa Cup of Nations record

Year Position Year Position Year Position
Sudan 1957Did not enterGhana 1978Did not qualifyBurkina Faso 1998Round 1
Egypt 1959Did not enterNigeria 1980Did not qualifyGhanaNigeria 2000Round 1
Ethiopia 1962Did not enterLibya 1982Did not qualifyMali 2002Round 1
Ghana 1963Did not enterIvory Coast 1984Round 1Tunisia 2004Did not qualify
Tunisia 1965Did not enterEgypt 1986Did not qualifyEgypt 2006Round 1
Ethiopia 1968Did not qualifyMorocco 1988Did not qualifyGhana 2008Did not qualify
Sudan 1970Did not qualifyAlgeria 1990WithdrewAngola 2010Withdrew due to rebel attack
Cameroon 1972Round 1Senegal 1992Did not qualifyEquatorial GuineaGabon2012Did not qualify
Egypt 1974WithdrewTunisia 1994Withdrew during qualifyingSouth Africa 2013Quarter-Final
Ethiopia 1976Did not qualifySouth Africa 1996Did not qualifyEquatorial Guinea 2015Did not qualify

Current squad

The following 24 players were called up for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Guinea and Ghana, respectively on 11 and 15 October 2014.[16]
Caps and goals as of 15 October 2014, after the team's match against Uganda.

# Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 GK Kossi Agassa 2 July 1978 56 0 France Reims
16 GK Djehani N'Guissan 1 February 1990 2 0 Togo Dynamic Togolais
23 GK Nouridine Yacoubou 11 February 1992 0 0 Togo Semassi
25 GK Sodeke Tidjani 22 July 1990 0 0 France USC Paray Foot
2 DF Magnima Tawali 31 December 1988 2 0 Togo AS Douanes
5 DF Serge Akakpo 15 October 1987 42 1 Ukraine Hoverla Uzhhorod
6 DF Abdoul-Gafar Mamah 24 August 1985 65 0 Moldova Dacia Chişinău
12 DF Mawouna Amevor 16 December 1991 2 0 Netherlands Go Ahead Eagles
13 DF Sadat Ouro-Akoriko 1 February 1988 17 0 South Africa AmaZulu
14 DF Alban Sabah 22 June 1992 0 0 Germany Dynamo Dresden
20 DF Donou Kokou 24 April 1991 12 1 Togo Maranatha
21 DF Dakonam Djene 31 December 1991 13 0 Spain Alcorcón
24 DF Nouwoklo Martin 24 May 1993 1 0 Togo Maranatha
3 MF Dové Womé 8 June 1991 21 4 South Africa SuperSport United
7 MF Mathieu Dossevi 12 February 1988 0 0 Greece Olympiacos
8 MF Papa Koami Awounyo 3 August 1991 0 0 Iraq Al-Karkh
10 MF Floyd Ayité 15 December 1988 20 3 France Bastia
15 MF Alaixys Romao 18 January 1984 52 0 France Marseille
19 MF Lalawélé Atakora 9 November 1990 11 2 Sweden AIK
4 FW Emmanuel Adebayor 26 February 1984 61 28 England Tottenham Hotspur
9 FW Camaldine Abraw 15 August 1990 6 0 South Africa Free State Stars
11 FW Jonathan Ayité 21 July 1985 19 4 Turkey Alanyaspor
17 FW Serge Gakpé 7 May 1987 30 4 France Nantes
22 FW Peniel Mlapa 20 February 1991 0 0 Germany 1. FC Nürnberg

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 Cédric Mensah 6 March 1989 10 0 France Colmar v.  Ghana, 10 September 2014
GK Mawugbé Atsou 20 August 1986 5 0 Togo Maranatha v.  Ghana, 10 September 2014
DF Kodjovi Koussou 7 June 1992 0 0 Germany Bayern Munich II v.  Uganda, 15 October 2014
DF Vincent Bossou 7 February 1986 19 0 Vietnam Hùng Vương An Giang v.  Ghana, 10 September 2014
DF Emmanuel Mathias 3 April 1986 12 0 Zambia ZESCO United v.  Ghana, 10 September 2014
MF Prince Segbefia 11 March 1991 15 0 Ukraine Zorya Luhansk v.  Uganda, 15 October 2014
MF Farid Zato-Arouna 23 April 1992 2 0 Iceland KR v.  Uganda, 15 October 2014
MF Komlan Amewou 15 December 1983 58 5 United Arab Emirates Al-Shaab v.  Ghana, 10 September 2014
MF Innocent Akpovo 0 0 Togo Semassi v.  Ghana, 10 September 2014
FW Mama Zougou Nazifou 13 March 1993 0 0 Togo Semassi v.  Uganda, 15 October 2014
FW Fodo Kokou Laba 19 July 1992age= 0 0 Togo Anges v.  Ghana, 10 September 2014

Coaches

References

  1. ↑ Mamrud, Roberto; Stokkermans, Karel. "Players with 100+ Caps and 30+ International Goals". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
  2. ↑ "Sky Sports | Football News". Home.skysports.com. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Reuters (2010-01-09). "African Cup of Nations — NoConfusion over Togo death toll". Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  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. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Togo's withdrawal, Confederation of African Football, 30 January 2010
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "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. ↑ "Pour Prince Segbefia, Zorya dit non". ftftogo.com (in French). 30 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.

External links