Togo’s national football team pulled out of the African Cup of Nations on Saturday after three people were killed when the team bus came under fire as it traveled through a section of Angola plagued by separatist violence.
Manchester City, the team of top player Emmanuel Adebayor who is also captain of the Togo team, said the team was withdrawing from the continent-wide tournament.
A goalie for Togo’s national soccer team said on French radio that the death toll from the attack has risen from one to three.
Goalie Kossi Agassa – who plays for French club Istres – told France-Info radio by phone that a Togo assistant coach and a spokesperson have also died. Agassa said that a second team goalie was badly wounded and transported urgently to South Africa for treatment.
Dr. Fraser Lamond of medical assistance provider International SOS told The Associated Press on Saturday that it had been asked to provide two air ambulances.
But before they landed in Cabinda on Saturday morning, one of the patients died. Lamond said that another man was due to arrive at Johannesburg’s Milpark hospital on Saturday afternoon.
Lamond said that his “condition is serious but stable and he will be going to a trauma facility.” Lamond didn’t know if the man was a player.
Angola’s Information Minister Manuel Rabelais said Friday that eight team members and one Angolan were injured. In Togo, the government said the Angolan driver was killed.
Togo’s bus in a convoy from Congo was 10km across the border in Angola when it came under fire. The bus driver died in the 30-minute ambush, according to Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor, who was not hurt.
MV Dave
Guest
As the Togo Government confirmed their national teams withdrawl from the cup the football started in the opening game in Luanda, between hosts Angola and Mali...and what a game. Angola raced to a 4-0 lead and with 15 minutes left were cruising, in front of a 50,000 capacity crowd delirious about what they were seeing on the pitch, but then..a scrambled goal from a corner in the 75th minute seemd just a consolation for Mali. A brilliant header from Freddie Kanoute (formerly Tottenham amongst others) made it 4-2 with less then 10 minutes left. The hosts began to fall apart and Mali sensed a comeback was a reality scored again with injury time having just started and finally in the 5th minute of injury time Mali equalised 4-4. Astonishing to watch live on Setanta. The scenes at the end were incredible, the contrasts stark even though the game finished a draw. Here's hoping that the football can do the talking in this tournament and the politics can remain on the outside. The tournament should be dedicated to the deceased and wounded from Togo and their memories honoured in the only way a sporting contest can...on the field. The first game of this African Cup of Nations was an absolute belter...lets hope the rest of the tournament can continue in this vain.
Joe FC
Guest
According to Fox Sports Togo have reversed their earlier decision & will compete. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26572289-23215,00.html
MV Dave
Guest
Dreadful tradgedy for the Togo team, the nation and the families of those directly effected. Looks like the decision to withdraw the team has been reversed and they will play. Hard to see how they could concentrate on the football after such devastation. Lots of questions need to be answered and whilst there is no link to the South African WC it shows that security will need to be beefed up even more (if thats possible). Angola were hoping to showcase the progress in their country since the civil war ceased some years ago. Whilst nothing can be done now to undo what has been done l hope the rest of the tournament can go through without further incident and be played in a manner befitting the memory of the deceased and injured, in a sense dedicated to them.