Togo 2-3 Ghana: Black Stars Edge Out Togo in a Tightly Contested Clash in Lome

The Black Stars lined up against The Hawks of Togo amidst the controversy surrounding both the team and its coach, desperate for a win to set their 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers back on track.

The opening day 1- 1 draw against Uganda in Kumasi, coupled with the behaviour of the team since the debacle in Brazil, has hugely swung public opinion unfavourably towards the team. A win was needed to restore some confidence, and they achieved it with a closely fought 3-2 win in the Togolese capital.

Asamoah Gyan, Emmanuel Agyeman Badu, and Christian Atsu were all on target for Ghana, whilst Floyd Ayite and captain Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor grabbed the goals for Togo.

Prior to kick off- Uganda put pressure on the Black Stars with a 2-0 win over Guinea, taking them top of the group and throwing the ball back into the court of the Stars.

And Togo did not make it easy for Kwesi Appiah’s team, sporting four changes from Saturday’s line-up- including one in goal where Stephen Adams replaced the sloppy Fatau Dauda.

The Hawks took an early lead, capitalising on some early pressure to score in the 11th minute, Ayite was on a hand to convert a rebound after Adams failed to stop a shot convincingly first time.

The Black Stars did not let up, matching the Togolese toe on toe as they searched for an equaliser.

And it arrived ten minutes later, skipper Asamoah Gyan getting his first of this qualifying campaign, jumping highest to head home a Kwadwo Asamoah cross.

Agyeman Badu put Ghana ahead early in the second half, but the Hawks persevered, pulling level through skipper Emmanuel Adebayor with barely a quarter of an hour to go, setting up a grandstand finish.

The Black Stars were not finished though, tricky winger Christian Atsu getting Ghana the last hurrah to ease some pressure off Kwesi Appiah, who was in real danger of losing his job had his team exited Togo with a less than favourable result.

As it stands, he lives to fight another day, and the Black Stars claw their way to joint top of African qualifying Group E, on four points with Uganda but just a goal behind.

Uganda’s Cranes, on the evidence so far, look like they really mean business and if the Stars are to qualify, we would need a little more of today’s performances and a little less of Saturday’s.