Togo recalls Adebayor for crunch AFCON qualifier

Togo recalls Adebayor for crunch AFCON qualifier By Admin Coach of Togolese national team, Claude Le Roy has recalled veteran striker Emmanuel Adebayor in the Togo squad for their crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin in Cotonou on 22 March, Bestchoicesports understands. Adebayor, 35, who plays his club football with Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey, is among 22 players picked by the Sparrow Hawks coach Claude Le Roy for their group D encounter, BBC reports The former African player of the year has played three of Togo's five matches so far in the qualifying campaign. Togo know that only a victory in Benin in their final 2019 Nations Cup qualifier will book their place in Egypt. Benin - who held Togo to a goalless draw in September - just need a draw to go through. Group leaders Algeria have already qualified and play The Gambia who still have faint hopes of qualifying. Togo coach Claude Le Roy has also called up veteran midfielder Alaixys Romao who plays regularly for French Ligue 1 club Reims. He is included for the first time since the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon. France-born Alaixys was part of the Togo squad at the 2006 World Cup. Former Togolese Under-20 international Idrissa Ogodjo, currently with DC Motema Pembe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is handed his first call-up while Ihlas Bebou who plays for German Bundesliga club Hanover 96 is recalled after recovering from injury. Fulham's Floyd Ayité, Mathieu Dossevi of French club Toulouse and Djene Dakonam who is with Spanish side Getafe are also included in the squad. Togo's best performance at an Africa Cup of Nations came in 2013 when they reached the quarter-finals in South Africa. Togo squad: Goalkeepers: Bassa-Djeri (Cotton Sports, Cameroon), Barcola Malcolm (Lyon, France), Ogodjo Idrissa (DC Motema Pembe, DR Congo) Defenders: Djene Dakonam (Getafe, Spain), Steve Lawson (Livingston, Scotland), Wilson Akapkpo (Al Shoulsa, Saudi Arabia), Gbegnon Simon (Beziers, France), Ouro-Sama Hakim (Lille, France), Akoro Bilal ( As Otr, Togo), Kouloun Maklibè (Dyto, Togo), Djoyagbo Kodjovi (As Otr, Togo) Midfielders: Floyd Ayite (Fulham, England), Dossevi Mathieu (Toulouse, France), Boukari Razak (Chateauroux, France), Romao Alaixys (Reims, France), Atchou Franco (Fremad, Denmark), Bebou Ihlas (Hanover, Germany), Sunu Gilles (BB Urzumspor, Turkey) Forwards: Mlapa Peniel (VV Venlo, Netherlands), Fodoh Laba (Rsb Berkane, Morocco), Denkey Kevin (Beziers, France,) Adebayor Emmanuel (Istanbul BB, Turkey). Group D after five matches: Algeria 10 points (Qualified) Benin 7 points Togo 5 points The Gambia 5 points