Kossi Agassa, who was nominated among the best players for the month of August at his club Reims, has turned down the call-up from Togo’s coach, Didier Six. The French coach faces a decision between Baba Tchagouni from Dijon and Atsu Mawugbé from Maranatha de Fiokpo (a Togo first-division club) to guard the goalposts in the crucial first leg of the World Cup qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations Football in South Africa 2013 against Gabon.
With 18 players, including two goalkeepers, Togo will strive to secure a qualifying spot for the African Cup of Nations. Expected to step into the starting role in place of Kossi Agassa is Tchagouni, who holds the second position in the goalkeeper hierarchy for the national team. Agassa, the Reims goalkeeper, has had an impressive start to the Ligue 1 season, conceding only four goals. Despite his nomination for the club’s best player of the month, Agassa declined the call-up for the Gabon match, citing a desire to focus on his club’s start of the season, according to a source close to the Togolese Football Federation (FTF).
The list of 18 players for the Eperviers is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Tchagouni Baba, Mawugbe Atsu
Defenders: Mamah Abdoul Gafar, Akakpo Serge Ognadon, Bossou Vincent, Nibombe Dare, Ouro-Akoriko Sadat, Djene Dakonam.
Midfield: Wome Dove Sename, Amewou Komlan, Alaixys Romao, Segbefia Kossi Prince, Ametepe Kodjo, Moustapha Salifou, Mani Sapol.
Forwards: Gakpe Serge, Adebayor Sheyi Emmanuel, Damessi Kalen y. Roland Boris