Togo held by Libya in frustrating U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier

Togo were held to a 1-1 draw by Libya at home in their U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie on Wednesday, despite controlling much of the match and creating the better passages of play.

The Eperviers U23 dominated possession from the early stages, building attacks with well-constructed moves and effective combinations. Libya were forced to retreat at times as Togo imposed themselves on the game.

However, the home side struggled to turn that authority into goals. Their attacking play became less effective in the final third, where a lack of precision and decisiveness allowed several promising situations to pass without a finish.

Togo’s failure to convert their opportunities proved costly after the break. An error in the defence, caused by a misunderstanding between the backline, gave Libya the chance to score early in the second half.

The visitors’ opener forced Togo to increase the pressure. The Eperviers pushed forward in search of an equaliser and continued to threaten around the Libyan penalty area, but they remained short of the decisive final touch.

Their persistence was finally rewarded in the 77th minute, when Koumeyi Fadouloudin restored parity. The goal revived Togo’s hopes of securing victory on home soil and set up a tense finish.

The hosts made further attempts to find a winner, but neither side was able to break the deadlock again. Togo therefore had to settle for a 1-1 draw, leaving the qualification contest finely balanced ahead of the second leg.

The return match will be played on 6 October in Misrata.