Togo and Mauritania Share Spoils in 2-2 Thriller

Togo’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup suffered another blow after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Mauritania in Lomé on Saturday.

The game got off to a flying start, with Togo’s Thibault Klidje scoring the opening goal in just the 5th minute, courtesy of an assist from Atte Youssifou.¹ The momentum seemed to be with Togo, but Mauritania was determined to level the scores.

Mauritania’s Aboubakary Koita equalized in the 53rd minute, with a clever assist from Aly Abeid. The Mauritanian team continued to push forward, and their efforts paid off when Abdallahi Mahmoud scored in the 56th minute, giving Mauritania a 2-1 lead.

However, Togo refused to give up. Kévin Denkey scored the equalizing goal in the 70th minute, securing a 2-2 draw for Togo. The match was an intense and thrilling display of skill and determination from both teams.

The draw leaves Togo in 4th position, while Mauritania sits in 5th place in the World Cup Qualifying standings. This result will undoubtedly impact their chances of advancing to the next round.

Togo’s coach, Paulo Duarte, praised his team’s resilience, saying, “We showed great character to come back from behind and secure a draw.” Meanwhile, Mauritania’s coach, Corentin Martins, expressed disappointment, stating, “We had the lead, but we couldn’t hold on. We need to work on our defensive strategy.”

Match Stats:

Goals:Thibault Klidje (Togo), Aboubakary Koita (Mauritania), Abdallahi Mahmoud (Mauritania), Kévin Denkey (Togo)

Assists:Atte Youssifou (Togo), Aly Abeid (Mauritania)

Yellow Cards: A. Youssifou (Togo), K. Boateng (Togo), A. Koita (Mauritania), G. Fofana (Mauritania)