Coach Duarte bemoans Togo performance against Cape Verde

Togo coach Paulo Duarte has admitted that his side lost their composure in the 2-0 defeat to Cape Verde in the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday.

An early goal by Julio Tavares and Jamiro Monteiro's stoppage time strike was enough for the home side to seal the Group B win.

The Hawks suffered the defeat to the Blue Sharks in their Group B match played in Marrakech leaving the Togolese bottom of the group with one point after two matches.

“We had a very bad game, a very bad first half. I didn't understand this lack of enthusiasm, the indifference, the passivity, the lack of quality,“ the Portuguese manager said Duarte at the post-match press conference.

"Today, the team was not there. No idea of play, no aggressiveness, no collective spirit against a Cape Verde who bypassed without much offensive technique."

Despite being disappointed with the performance of his charge in the match, Duarte is confident they can turn things around by the next round of matches.

“But everything is open, we are two points behind the second in the Group, Cape Verde, which we are going to host, so everything is possible," Duarte said.

"But you have to work on the mentality of the team and win the matches.“

Togo will return to the qualifiers in September when they play group leaders Burkina Faso in two back-to-back matches.