International Football
Nigeria Face Togo After 26 Years
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
When the Super Eagles of Nigeria file out on Thursday at Stade Municipal de Saint Leu Lat Foret in Paris to face the Hawks of Togo, it will be the first encounter in 26 years for the two countries that are almost within shouting distance of one another.
Sports Village Square recalls that both teams last met on January 27, 1991 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier which final event took place in Senegal the following year.
Already, the Super Eagles’ camp is bubbling with excitements and great expectations as the friendly encounter will be the last match before the crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel with South Africa in Uyo.
“Tomorrow night, our @NGSuperEagles battle @LesEperviers of Togo in Paris #NGATOG #SoarSuperEagles #SuperEagles” a tweet from the NFF twitter handle gleefully announced.
The match kicks off at 7pm Nigerian time. Ahead of Thursday’s encounter, both Nigeria and Togo had met 16 times with the results swaying largely in the favour of the Super Eagles.
Nigeria had won eight of the encounters, drew five, including the last match and lost three. These statistics only speak a little about the encounters. The two of the three matches Nigeria lost to Togo had immense effects.
Sports Village Square recalls that despite the good run that the Nigerian team had while hosting the West African zonal qualifier for the first All Africa Games held in Congo Brazzaville, it was the 2-1 loss to Togo in the opening match on December 27, 1964 that eventually cost Nigeria a place at the All Africa Games.
The 6-1 defeat of Burkina Faso (then Upper Volta), 4-0 mauling of Niger Republic and the 1-1 draw in the abandoned match with Benin Republic (then Dahomey) all counted for nothing as Togo also beat all those countries to get the ticket for the football event of the All Africa Games.
The next loss was a 0-1 away loss to Togo which was reversed with a 4-2 win in the return leg for the 1968 Africa Nations Cup qualifier. But the last loss was a bashing.
A star-studded Nigerian side parading the likes of Stephen Keshi, Muda Lawal, Ademola Adeshina, Kingsley Paul among others, was left dazed after a 5-2 bashing by Togo in the semi-final of 1983 WAFU Cup.
It remained the heaviest defeat Nigeria suffered from any West African side apart from the pre-history 0-7 loss to Ghana (Gold Coast at the time) in 1955.
Togo was the third country Nigeria faced in an international match after that of Sierra Leone in 1949 and traditional rivals, Ghana (formerly Gold Coast).
Nigeria’s first encounter with the then Togoland was on October 6, 1956 and had the then Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in attendance. He came from Ibadan to watch the match which to most Nigerians was disappointing on account of the 1-1 draw and a foreign coach, Leslie Courtier handling Nigeria for the first time.
NIGERIA versus TOGO Head-to-Head
October 6, 1956: Nigeria 1-1 Togo (Lagos, Friendly)
December 29, 1964: Nigeria 1-2 Togo (Lagos, All-Africa Games Qualifier)
March 6, 1966: Nigeria 1-0 Togo (Lagos, Friendly)
April 9, 1966: Nigeria 1-0 Togo (Lagos Friendly)
April 2, 1967: Togo 1-0 Nigeria (Lome, Afcon Qualifier)
April 15, 1967: Nigeria 4-2 Togo (Lagos, Afcon Qualifier)
April 23 1975: Togo 0-1 Nigeria (Dakar, Friendly)
June 13, 1980: Togo 0-1 Nigeria (Lome, Friendly)
July 9, 1983: Nigeria 2-1 Togo (Ibadan, Olympics Qualifier)
July 27, 1983: Togo 1-1 Nigeria (Lome, Olympics Qualifier)
December 16, 1983: Togo 5-2 Nigeria (Abidjan, WAFU Cup)
July 29, 1986: Togo 2-2 Nigeria (Lome, Friendly)
March 18, 1987: Nigeria 2-0 Togo (Lagos, Afcon Qualifier)
April 2, 1987: Togo 1-1 Nigeria (Lome, Afcon Qualifier)
August 18, 1990: Nigeria 3-0 Togo (Lagos, Afcon Qualifier)
January 27, 1991: Togo 0-0 Nigeria (Lome, Afcon Qualifier)
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- World Cup1 week ago
BREAKING: At last FIFA’s Axe falls on South Africa!
- World Cup1 week ago
South Africa to Appeal FIFA Ruling Over Mokoena Eligibility Case
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Super Eagles Set for Double Friendly Showdown with Venezuela and Colombia in USA
- World Cup1 week ago
Sport Minister Orders Probe into SAFA over Bafana’s Costly Points Deduction
- World Cup6 days ago
FIFA Sanction on South Africa Offers Super Eagles a Lifeline — But a Lesson from History Looms
- CAF Confederation Cup1 week ago
Asante Kotoko End Kwara United’s Confederation Cup Campaign in Abeokuta
- U-20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Two penalty appeal lost as Flying Eagles stumble at first hurdle
- World Cup4 days ago
Super Eagles Walk Tightrope as Nine Key Players Risk Suspension in World Cup Qualifiers