World Cup Team Checks: Togo

World Cup Qualifiers

Though a 0:1 loss to Equatorial Guinea got Togo's qualification campaign off to a rough start, they became the surprise team of the 2006 World Cup by besting Senegal, the surprise team of the 2002 World Cup.

Stars

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor was Togo's ticket to the World Cup. A regular at AS Monaco, the forward netted 11 goals and was the African Zone's top scorer. His move to Arsenal has been rewarded with a place in the Champions League final.

Trainer

Under the direction of Stephen Keshi, Togo achieved the long-sought success of qualifying for the World Cup. Keshi, a former Nigerian national team member, took over the position in 2002 when he left his position as co-trainer of the Nigerian team after they were sent home from the African Nations Cup in the semi-final.

But a pitiful display of soccer and early elimination from the 2005 Africa Cup meant the once-hero Keshi was given his walking papers. The Togo's soccer fans are still waiting to see who will be on the bench calling the shots for their team in Germany.

World Cup History

Germany 2006 is Togo's first appearance in the World Cup finals.

Match Schedule: Preliminary Round

June 13: South Korea- Togo in Frankfurt

June 19: Togo - Switzerland in Dortmund

June 23 2006: Togo - France in Cologne

World Cup Base

Togo decided they would stay in the Wangen in southern Germany during the World Cup.

Outlook

Togo will be the darkest of the dark horses in a group that pits them against France, the obvious group favorite, but the Togo's players won't be happy with packing up their yellow and green kits after just three games in their first World Cup. Expect Togo to arrive in Germany in top-form as they will need to rely on a physical, exhausting style in order to beat a group of teams with superior technical skills.