David Tagoe
11 May 2011
Ghana lost 4-3 on penalties to Togo in their second leg Wafu Nations Cup Group B tie and set-up a semi-final clash with hosts Nigeria.
Both teams were tied 3-3 on aggregate after a 2-1 defeat on Tuesday afternoon in Abeoukuta. The national Under-23 team went down courtesy an own goal in the 54th minute but Kotoko striker Nathaniel Asamoh leveled four minutes later.
Togo went ahead in the 69th minute and pushed the tie to penalty shoot-out after losing 2-1 to Ghana on Sunday. New Edubiase striker Emmanuel Baffoe and Yakubu Mohammed from AshantiGold missed their spot-kicks. The two teams had to square-off twice to determine the leader of the Group after opponents Senegal and Gambia withdrew.
The Black Meteors beat Togo 2-0 on Sunday to put them ahead in the two-team group after Senegal and Gambia withdrew from the regional championship. Hosts Nigeria and Liberia were awaiting the result between Ghana and Togo to know their opponents in the semi-final of the sub-regional WAFU Nations Cup.
Nigeria defeated Niger 4-0 on Saturday to qualify for Thursday’s semi-final match while Liberia also beat Niger 2-1. The West African regional tournament, the Wafu Cup, has been hit by withdrawal of its participants. The eight-team event is now down to just five contenders, following the decision by The Gambia to pull out.
The Scorpions of Gambia were the third side to withdraw from the event, following Mali and Senegal’s decisions not to take part. None of the three teams travelled to Abeokuta in Nigeria, where the tournament is taking place.
The Gambia’s failure to turn up means there are only two teams remaining in Group B – namely Ghana and Togo.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Taken from:
Nation Loses to Togo At Wafu Nations Cup