TOGO have suffered tragedy in their Africa Cup of Nations history.
After a qualifier away to Sierra Leone in 2007, 19 officials representing the team were killed in a helicopter crash.
And in 2010 their team bus was ambushed by terrorists with machine guns in Angola as they travelled to the tournament.
They were under fire for 30 minutes, with their driver, assistant manager and media officer killed.
Togo withdrew from the tournament and were subsequently banned by the Confederation of African Football but returned to the competition in 2013 to reach the quarter-finals.
Who are Togo’s best players?
Emmanuel Adebayor, free agent, striker
The former Arsenal striker, 32, is Togo’s all-time top goalscorer, with 31 strikes. He is currently a free agent after being released by Crystal Palace.
He was captain of the side when their bus came under attack in 2010 and was so traumatised by the events that he retired from international duty.
He returned to the side to help them qualify for the last eight in South Africa in 2013.
Floyd Ayite, midfielder, Fulham
Fulham‘s Ayite was also on board the bus when the shooting started, with his older brother Jonathan. Afterwards he suffered flashbacks and considered quitting football altogether.
Now he is a regular starter in the Championship for the Cottagers after rising through the domestic ranks in France.
The 27-year-old made his Togo debut in 2007 and scored twice in qualifying for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Kossi Agassa, goalkeeper, US Granville
The keeper recently joined US Granville in the French fourth tier after playing in the country’s top flight during eight years at Reims.
The 38-year-old was between the sticks when Togo played in the 2006 World Cup and with 62 international caps he has plenty of experience.
Nicknamed “Magic Hands”, he shared goalkeeping duties with Cedric Mensah in qualifying but his experience could be a vital influence on and off the pitch if he gets the nod in Gabon.
Who are Togo’s Premier League players?
Togo do not currently have any players in the Premier League but Emmanuel Adebayor has spent most of his career in England’s top flight, playing for Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.
How did Togo qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations?
The Sparrow Hawks qualified as runners-up of Group A behind Tunisia.
They sealed second spot with a 5-0 win over Djibouti. Their only defeat was a 1-0 loss to Tunisia.
They were drawn in Group C for the finals, along with Morocco, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and last time’s champions Ivory Coast.
Who is the manager of Togo?
Claude Le Roy is a French former footballer who has also managed the Ghana and Senegal national teams.
The 68-year-old has 36 years’ experience in football management after taking up the reins at French club Amiens where he ended his playing career.
He led Cameroon to Africa Cup of Nations victory in 1988 after taking them to the final in the previous tournament.
What is Togo’s history in the ACN?
Their best performance saw them progress to the quarter-finals in 2013, where they were knocked out by Burkina Faso.
They withdrew from the 2010 tournament after their team bus was ambushed by terrorists.
They failed to qualify last time out with players complaining of organisational problems hampering the team’s progress.
The national side made it to the World Cup finals for the first time in 2006 but were knocked out in the group stage after coming up against South Korea, Switzerland and France.
What are Togo’s odds in the ACN?
Togo are 66-1 to win the tournament according to Sun Bets (get the latest).
The lowest ranked side in Group C and coming up against last year’s champions Ivory Coast, they may struggle to progress.
But after a solid qualifying campaign the Sparrow Hawks could be poised to see their fortunes soar.
Source: The Sun