Togo will not be at the next African Cup of Nations scheduled for January 2024 in Ivory Coast. The victory of the Sparrowhawks against Eswatini (2-0) on Sunday during the 5th day of the CAN 2023 Qualifiers was not enough, Burkina Faso which should allow Togo to maintain hope, unfortunately sunk in Praia (1-3) against Cape Verde precipitating the fall of the Sparrowhawks one day before the end of the Eliminations.
A campaign mortgaged from the start
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By conceding a draw (2-2), on June 3, 2022 against Eswatini, at home, Togo had seriously compromised its chances of qualification. The shield of the King was without doubt the small minnow of the group and losing points against this team was compromising. Togo was therefore handicapped before sinking during the 2nd day against Cape Verde (0-2). Therefore, with 1 point after two games, the chances of qualification have dwindled, leaving room for doubt when we know that the next opponent is none other than Burkina Faso, semi-finalist a few months earlier of CAN 2021. following, as we know, a double confrontation which only awarded one point to the hawks. With 2 points after 4 matches, Togo no longer had its destiny in hand until its elimination.
At the finish, the logic was respected in group B
Housed in Group B of the CAN 2023 Qualifiers, Togo was in hat 3 before the draw. Cape Verde in Pot 2 and Burkina Faso in Pot 1. The Stallions, 50th in the FIFA rankings and the Blue Sharks, 71st in the FIFA rankings were the favorites and they respected their rank. Les Eperviers, 127th should normally shake up this hierarchy and “steal” one of its places. Something they did not achieve even with the advantage of playing at home in Kegué, an advantage that the other teams did not have at the start.
A 3rd consecutive loss
For the 3rd time in a row, Togo misses the CAN (2019, 2021,2023). Between 1998 and 2017, Togo was always qualified for at least one out of two CANs. Unfortunately, Togo has still not played a CAN at 24 since its institution.
Arrived two years ago at the head of the Eperviers, Paulo Duarte has certainly missed the mission assigned to him, that of qualifying the team for CAN 2023, but has shown in Togo’s last 4 matches (2 wins , a draw, and a loss), that he begins to put together a competitive and tactically better team. But, this 3rd setback in a row still pushes us to reflect on the real level of our national team, our football and our ambitions to finally find the appropriate solutions.