Ivory Coast draw Burkina Faso

Tournament favourites Ivory Coast were left ruing missed opportunities as they were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Burkina Faso in Group B in Cabinda.
Bakari Kone missed several chances as the Ivorians, who had an early penalty appeal turned down, dominated the Africa Cup of Nations game throughout.
The best chance came in the 68th minute when Kone dragged an easy chance wide.
It means the Ivory Coast may now need a win against Ghana if they are to progress past the group stages.

Burkina Faso defended deeply for much of the game, only venturing forward on the counter-attack, and failed to register a shot on goal in the first half.
Their only chance in the first period arose from a committed run and cross from Jonathan Pitroipa - but the ball was scrambled out of harm's way by the Ivorian defence.
Ivory Coast peppered the Burkina Faso goal in the closing stages, but failed to make their superiority count.
BBC African Footballer of the Year Didier Drogba set up the Elephants' best chance of the first half, deftly playing through Bakari Kone who directed his shot straight at the goalkeeper.

We still have all the cards in our hands and I know we can go through.
Vahid Halilhodzic, coach, Ivory Coast

Earlier, Bakari Kone had headed a decent chance wide after a whipped cross from the impressive Gervinho after 16 minutes.
The Ivorians will have felt hard done by in the 20th minute when the referee denied Drogba a penalty when he was tripped in the penalty area by Mamadou Tall.
The second half heralded more of the same, with the Elephants heavily dictating the pace in the early stages.
In the 55th minute, a long-range Bakari Kone shot whistled past the upright.
As the game passed the hour mark, Burkina Faso began to go forward, but although Pitroipa looked lively they never looked like outwitting the Ivory Coast defence.
A fierce long-range free kick from Moumouni Dagano in the 67th minute did trouble Boubacar Barry in the Ivorian goal, but he managed to dive low to his left to save.
Galatasaray's Abdulkader Keita nearly struck for Ivory Coast in the 77th minute when his cross drifted towards goal - only to be tipped over by a Burkinabe goalkeeper Daouda Diakite.
A hatful of scrappy but unconvincing chances were seen off as Burkina Faso registered a shock draw.
Burkina Faso coach Paulo Duarte was pleased with the result, especially after seeing his side lose twice to Ivory Coast during Nations Cup qualifiers.

"During those two games I had opted for a very offensive strategy and we lost," he said.
"Tonight, we didn't make a great match, but I won one point."
Ivory Coast coach Vahid Halilhodzic admitted his team faces a tough task to reach the quarter-finals.
"We are now in a very difficult situation.
"But we still have all the cards in our hands and I know we can go through."
Ivorian captain Drogba says the emotions raised after the attack on the Togo team bus played heavily on the players' minds.
"After what happened a few days ago it was difficult to concentrate," he said after the game.
"We do not forget what happened but now the competition has started and we try to focus on the games."
The departure and subsequent disqualification of Togo means Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Ghana will only play two games each in Group B.

Togo Team To Compete Despite Angola Attacks

In a completely unexpected move, the squad from Togo has gone against their own country's withdrawal from the African Cup of Nations and decided to compete in honor of their fallen comrades. 

According to the French sports daily L'Equipe, the Togo team has decided to remain in the African Cup of Nations tournament and compete in honor of their fallen comrades who were victimized when the squad's bus was attacked in Angola.

Alaixys Romao, who plays for Grenoble, told the paper that the team held a late vote and decided to go ahead with their scheduled match versus Ghana on Monday.

Forward Thomas Dossevi noted that the players would not forget those who suffered, which included three dead and others injured from the Togo delegation.

"People died for this and others are injured. We can not abandon them and go like cowards."

The Angolan government apparently pleaded with the players to not give the attacking rebels the satisfaction of stopping a team from competing in the tournament. The Angolans also promised improved security to ensure the safety of the team.

It is unclear if the decision of the Togo team will be backed by their own country - which moved to recall the team in the wake of the attack.

"Our government does not necessarily agree with us, but we are all determined to play this tournament," Dossevi reportedly said.

Goal.com

Togo withdraw from Africa Nations

Togo have pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations following a deadly gun attack on their team bus in Angola.
The coach driver was killed and two players were shot and injured in the attack in the northern province of Cabinda on Friday.
Organisers insist the tournament will go ahead and are stepping up security.
But Togo midfielder Alaixys Romao told French paper L'Equipe: "We're talking to the other teams in our group to try to convince them to boycott too."

Togo were due to play Ghana in their opening match in Cabinda on Monday and the Black Stars players have confirmed they are happy for the tournament to go ahead.
Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso are the other teams in Group B.
Togo coach Hubert Velud told French radio station RMC that he thought the Angolan authorities should consider cancelling the entire tournament.
"We can at least pose ourselves that question," he said. ""It's an act of barbarism while we are here to celebrate African football.
"We left the hospital a short time ago to come to the centre for the teams in the competition. We stayed in the hospital a long time so that we could be very united.
"In these situations you become a bit paranoid, you doubt everything. We don't feel that the authorities are taking this very seriously."
Togo captain, and Manchester City striker, Emmanuel Adebayor said on Friday many players wanted to go home.
He told BBC Afrique: "It's a football game, it's one of the biggest tournaments in Africa and a lot of people would love to be in our position but I don't think anybody would be prepared to give their life.

You cannot sleep after what we have seen - one of your team-mates with bullets in his body in front of you, crying and losing consciousness
Emmanuel Adebayor

"If I am alive I can still play football tomorrow and in one year maybe even another Cup of Nations but I am not ready to pass away now.
The driver of the Togo team bus was killed in the incident, while nine others were injured including two players, an assistant manager, physio, goalkeeping coach and another coach.
Defender Serge Akakpo, who plays for Romanian club Vaslui, was hit by two bullets and lost a lot of blood in the attack in Angola's oil-rich territory of Cabinda, which is due to host seven matches.
Adebayor said the players were unsure whether Akakpo would survive at the time, but his club reported that his condition was stabilised and he underwent successful surgery.
Reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale, who plays for French club GSI Pontivy, was also wounded, while several other players required hospital treatment and were later seen with bandages on legs, hands and faces.

"I don't think any of the players will be able to sleep after this," said Adebayor, who admitted they were all still in shock.
"You cannot sleep after what we have seen - one of your team-mates with bullets in his body in front of you, crying and losing consciousness. It is very difficult."
Souleymane Habuba, spokesman for organisers the Confederation of African Football (CAF), said the tournament would proceed despite the attack.
"Our great concern is for the players, but the championship goes ahead," said Habuba, who questioned why Togo had elected to travel by road rather than flying.
"CAF's regulations are clear: teams are required to fly rather than travel by bus," he added.
Football's world governing body Fifa has expressed its concern about the attack.
"Fifa and its president, Sepp Blatter, are deeply moved by today's incidents which affected Togo's national team, to whom they express their utmost sympathy," said a statement.
"Fifa is in touch with the African Football Confederation (CAF) and its president, Issa Hayatou, from which it expects a full report on the situation."

Story from BBC SPORT

Drogba wins BBC African Footballer of the Year award

Didier Drogba of Chelsea and Ivory Coast has been crowned the 2009 BBC African Footballer of the Year.
The striker beat Samuel Eto'o, Michael Essien, Yaya Toure, and Tresor Mputu Mabi to the title.
The results of the poll - voted for by football fans around the world - were announced live from Angola on the BBC African Service Fast Track programme.
Drogba is preparing to lead his country at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, where the Elephants are favourites.

After a disappointing start to the year, Drogba saw his footballing fortunes vastly improve throughout 2009.
Frozen out of Chelsea's team by then Blues coach Luis Felipe Scolari, the Ivorian striker had scored just one goal in 10 matches by February.
He also earned himself a lengthy ban for a foul-mouthed rant at live television cameras after Chelsea's elimination from last season's Champions League.

He ended the year, however, with Chelsea challenging for the 2009/2010 English Premier League title and Champions League crown, an FA Cup winner's medal in the bag and widely recognised as one of the most influential strikers in world football.
On the international scene, he secured qualification for the Ivory Coast at the 2010 World Cup and Nations Cup finals.
He scored six times in five games in the Elephants' campaign, including the goal which would take them to the World Cup - an equalizer against Malawi which he scored minutes after coming on as a substitute in Blantyre.
Drogba is currently joint top scorer in the Premier League on 14 goals and heads to Angola with Chelsea currently top of the table.

He also claimed recently that he is aiming to break the club's all-time goal-scoring record, having signed a contract extension to remain at Stamford Bridge until 2012.
Away from football, Drogba has campaigned for greater education in Africa to combat HIV/AIDS and has also raised money to build a new hospital in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan.

Togo footballers tell of attack

 
Players in Togo's national football team have told of their shock when gunmen fired on their bus as they drove to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
Manchester City player Emmanuel Adebayor described it as "one of the worst things I've ever been through in my life".
He said the bus was targeted just 5km (3 miles) across the border and the shooting lasted for half an hour.
He described how players and other team members were trapped in the bus.

'In shock'
"They shot dead our driver, there was no-one to drive the bus," he told the BBC.
He said those on the bullet-riddled vehicle had to continue to dodge bullets to jump into the cars that eventually came to rescue them.

“ All the players - everyone was crying [...] saying their last words because they thought they'd be dead ”
Emmanuel Adebayor Manchester City player

"It was like we were living in a dream. I'm still under shock," he said.
"I am one of those who carried the injured players into the hospital, that is when I realised what was really going on. All the players - everyone was crying, calling their mums, crying on the phone, saying their last words because they thought they'd be dead."
Thomas Dossevi, who plays for Togo and FC Nantes, said they had been "machine-gunned, like dogs".
He told how players had hidden under the seats of the bus as bullets flew around them.
Several players are reported to have been injured in the attack in the Angolan territory of Cabinda.
Aston Villa said its 26-year-old midfielder Moustapha Salifou was "shaken but okay" following the attack.
"Machine-gunned at the border with Angola!" Mr Dossevi told French sport radio RMC.
"I don't know why. We were under the seats of the bus for 20 minutes trying to get away from the bullets."
'Heavy firing'
Mr Dossevi described the gunmen as hooded and "armed to the teeth".
He said the team had just completed border checks when the firing started.
"We were surrounded by the police and everything was in order," he told AFP news agency.
"Then there was heavy firing and police fired back. You would have thought we were in a war. We were shocked. When we got out of the bus we asked ourselves, why us?"
He said the goalkeeping coach and the doctor were among those wounded.
"We don't really want to play in the Africa Cup of Nations," he said. "We are thinking of our friends, the injured players."
Midfielder Richmond Forson said the number of injuries could have been much worse had the gunmen not originally fired on the wrong bus.

“ They thought we were in the bus in front, fortunately for us ”
Togo player Richmond Forson

"It was the bus carrying our baggage which was in front of us which they fired on the most," he told French TV channel Canal Plus.
"They thought we were in the bus in front, fortunately for us. That's what saved us.
"Then they fired on our driver and those who were in front. The windscreen was shattered by the first bullets."
He added: "It's disgusting to take bullets for a football match."
Fellow midfielder Alaixys Romao said the players had feared the worst and he believed Togo were now likely to pull out of the tournament.
"We're not thinking yet of what could happen," said the Grenoble player.
"But it's true that no-one wants to play. We're not capable of it.
"We are thinking first of all about the health of our injured because there was a lot of blood on the ground.
"For the moment there is not much news because they have been taken to different hospitals.
"In cases like these we are thinking of those near us, of those we love because that really could have been the end of us."
Aston Villa said its 26-year-old midfielder Moustapha Salifou was "shaken but okay" following the attack.

Story from BBC NEWS:

Togo footballers shot in ambush

Gunmen have fired on a bus carrying Togo's football team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, wounding players and reportedly killing the driver.
The attackers machine-gunned the vehicle after it crossed from the Republic of Congo into Angola's oil-rich territory of Cabinda.
Rebels who have been fighting for the region's independence later said they had carried out the attack.
The organisers of the tournament, which starts on Sunday, say it will go ahead.

The Angolan government called the incident an "act of terrorism".
The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec), which said it carried out the attack, has fought for independence for several decades, but entered a ceasefire in 2006.
In a statement quoted by Portugal's Lusa news agency, the group said: "This operation is only the start of a series of targeted actions that will continue in all the territory of Cabinda."
Togo is due to play its first cup game in Cabinda on Monday. The Confederation of African Football confirmed that the tournament would go ahead as planned, despite the violent attack.
Angolan Sports Minister Goncalves Muandumba said security for the competition would be stepped up to guarantee "all the conditions necessary for the success, tranquillity and security of the people and their belongings".
'Under shock'
Nine people, including at least two players, were wounded during the shooting, reports said. Central defender Serge Akakpo was among those hurt and back-up goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale was also reportedly injured.
Romanian side FC Vaslui confirmed that Mr Akakpo, who joined the club from French side Auxerre last year, was shot and badly injured in the attack. The 22-year-old was out of danger after being struck by two bullets and being treated by doctors, the club said.

The team's communications manager was among those seriously wounded in the shooting.
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor was also on the bus but is unhurt. Speaking to the BBC, he described the incident as "one of the worst experiences of his life".
"I'm still under shock," Mr Adebayor said. "I was one of those who carried the injured players into the hospital - that is when I realised what was really going on. All the players, everyone was crying, calling their mums, crying on the phone, saying their last words because they thought they'd be dead."
The bus was travelling to Cabinda from the squad's training ground in the Republic of Congo when the shooting happened.
"This was an act of terrorism," Cabinda affairs minister Bento Bembe told Reuters news agency.
Football's highest governing body, Fifa, said it was troubled by the incident.
"Fifa and its president, Joseph S Blatter, are deeply moved by today's incidents which affected Togo's national team, to whom they express their utmost sympathy," the body said in a statement.
Competition officials said they had not known that the Togolose team had decided to drive directly to Cabinda.
They said they had expected the squad first to fly to the Angolan capital, Luanda, and from there to Cabinda.
Shot 'like dogs'
The head of the Togolese football federation told AFP news agency that the driver had died.
Togo striker Thomas Dossevi told France's RMC radio that several players were "in a bad state" after the attack.

CABINDA

Oil-rich province cut off from the rest of Angola by DR Congo

Flec rebels fought for region's independence

Rebels laid down arms in 2006 but some unrest continues

Angola had dismissed concerns about staging games there

"We were machine-gunned, like dogs," he said. "At the border with Angola - machine-gunned! I don't know why. I thought it was some rebels. We were under the seats of the bus for 20 minutes, trying to get away from the bullets."
The identities of those injured - who also included team staff - have not yet been confirmed.
Togo's first game in the tournament is due to be against Ghana on Monday.
But midfielder Alaixys Romao told RMC the team was likely to pull out of the 16-nation cup.
"No-one wants to play," he said. "We're not capable of it.
"We're thinking first of all about the health of our injured because there was a lot of blood on the ground."

Story from BBC NEWS