TOGO HANDS FIVE DEBUTANTS THE CHANCE AS THEY READY THEMSELVES FOR A FRIENDLIES AGAINST SIERRA LEONE OR BENIN

Togo national team coach Paulo Duarte has named five debutantes in his 38-man squad for this month’s friendlies to be played in Turkey.

The Portuguese trainer named the large team on Tuesday and it is dominated by young players with 17 members of the squad under the age of 23.

Three Ghana-born dual nationals were called up for their debuts and they will join the Hawks for the ten-day training camp scheduled for the Turkish city of Antalya next week.

Among the three players are Portugal-based duo of midfielder Emmanuel Hackman and defender Kennedy Boateng as well as Samuel Asamoah of Romanian side Univ. Craoiva.

The other debutantes are Frederic Ananou of Paderborn in Germany and home-based striker Justin Yere of Dyto, who will join the Hawks in their training camp for the first time.

Boateng was selected for his national team debut in November but the Santa Clara towering defender could not make an appearance and will take advantage of this international window to play his first game for the West African country.

In-form Germany based player Ihlas Bebou was not included in the squad despite his impressive form for Hoffenheim but the federation said the coach took the decision to exclude the Bundesliga winger from the team.

“The absence of Ihlas Bebou is the coach’s choice,“ the Togo Football Federation (FTF) said in a statement on Tuesday following the release of the squad.

The Hawks will open their 10-day training camp in Antalya on 20 March.

Togo will play Sierra Leone on 24 March before taking on Benin five days later as they prepare for the start of the qualifiers for the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Malcom Barcola (Lyon, France), Wassiou Ouro-Gneni (ASCK), Steven Foly Mensah (Hamburg, Germany)

Defenders: Dakonam Djene (Getafe, Spain), Steven Folly Nador (Spal, Italy), Emmanuel Hackman (Gil Vicente, Portugal), Frédéric Ananou (Paderborn, Germany), Kangnivi Ama Tchoutchoui (FC Nouadhibou, Mauritania), Kennedy Boateng (Santa Clara, Portugal), Klousseh Agbozo (Abu Salem, Libya), Loic Bessile (Charleroi, Belgium), Youssifou Atte (Legon Cities, Ghana), Jean Marie Nadjombe (Fortuna Koln, Germany), Kevin Boma (Angers, France), Mathieu Dotse (Dyto)

Midfielders: Alaixys Romao (Ionikos, Greece), Franco Atchou (Erbil, Iraq), Gnama Akate (Al Naft, Iraq), Marouf Tchakei (AS Vita Club, DR Congo), Samuel Asamoah (Univ. Craoiva, Romania), Dikeni-Rafid Salifou (Augsburg, Germany), Karim Dermane (Feyenoord, Netherlands), Malik Djibril (Vicenza, Italy), Samsondin Ouro (NS Mura, Slovenia), Jarry Kparo Ahoro (AS Togo Port)

Forwards: David Henen (Kortrijk, Belgium), Ismail Ouro-Agoro (St George, Ethiopia), Justin Yere (Dyto), Kevin Denkey (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Kodjo Laba (Al Ain, United Arab Emirates), Fessou Placca (Al Tadamon, Kuwait), Thibault Klidje (Bordeaux, France), Josue Doke (WAFA, Ghana), Junior Akakpo (Entente II), Kodjo Aziangbe (Al Nasr, United Arab Emirates), Nadir Ayeva (Orebro Syrianska, Sweden), Tawfik Moukaila (Gbohloe-Su).