Togo Fall to Ghana in Thrilling 3-2 AFCON Qualifier Clash
Togo’s hopes of qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations suffered a setback after a narrow 3-2 defeat to Ghana on Wednesday. The Hawks of Togo started brightly, with Floyd Ayité giving them an early lead in the 11th minute. However, Ghana quickly took control, equalizing through Asamoah Gyan in the 23rd minute and then going ahead thanks to Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu’s strike in the 34th minute. The first half ended with Ghana holding a 2-1 advantage.
Togo’s talisman Emmanuel Adebayor levelled the score in the 76th minute, raising hopes of a comeback. But Ghana’s Christian Atsu dashed those hopes with a decisive goal in the 85th minute, sealing the win for the Black Stars.
Speaking after the match, Adebayor reflected on the team’s performance: “There were some positives, we scored early within the first 15 minutes. But after that, we lost focus. Asamoah Gyan scored a header which put us under pressure. Ghana took a 2-1 lead. At halftime, the coach gave a very frank talk. We came out motivated and equalized at 2-2, hoping for a chance to score the winning goal.”
He added, “But Atsu took advantage with his dribbling down the wing and scored the third goal. Defensively, we have work to do. In midfield, we wasted too many opportunities, and offensively, there was a lack of understanding between Dové, Atakora, and me. It was a great match though, and these are players of the future. We must support them.”
Adebayor finished with a rallying call: “Now we have our backs against the wall. If we want to qualify, we need 23 fighters, 23 warriors ready to bring the country to the CAN.”
The defeat leaves Togo’s qualification hopes in jeopardy, but the team remains determined to fight on in the remaining qualifiers.
