Battered and bruised AS Togo-Port await Sundowns in key fixture

Mamelodi Sundowns’ next African Champions League opponents AS Togo-Port have a growing crisis in defence ahead of their hosting of Pitso Mosimane’s side in Lome on Tuesday.

The Togolese will be desperate for victory after losing their opponent two games of the pool‚ while Sundowns have also made a mediocre start to their Group C campaign with a pair of draws.

The West Africans' confidence will have taken a knock as well when they were defeated 2-0 by a Benin under-20 side this week in a friendly at home on their artificial surface at the Stade Agoè-Nyivé‚ a meek preparation for the clash against Sundowns.

AS Togo-Port will be without influential skipper Issifou Bourahana‚ who is suspended for the clash with The Brazilians. The versatile defender scored in their 2-1 loss to Horoya in their opening pool game‚ his second of the 2018 Champions League campaign.

His loss‚ both as a defender and a leader within the team‚ is a massive blow for coach Ayivi Ekuevi and comes hot on the heels of the exit from the club of another star name.

Just last week French Ligue 1 side Lille snapped up the club’s leading centre-back Hakim Ouro-Sama on a five-year contract‚ meaning Ekuevi is now without two of his defensive stalwarts.

Both players had started in the opening two games of the pool for AS Togo-Port‚ the loss to Horoya and a 3-0 away defeat at defending champions Wydad Casablanca.

At home‚ AS Togo-Port will be expected to attack and central to their chances will be Togo international midfielder Koidjo Sewonou‚ who usually plays wide on the left but can also drift inside. Centre-forward Ayi Hunlede cuts an imposing figure up front‚ while teenage midfielder Fousseni Yacoubou is considered one to watch in Togolese football.

AS Togo-Port may be struggling in the pool‚ but they have knocked off some decent sides on their way to the group stages this year.

They met Congo-Brazzaville outfit AC Leopards‚ regular visitors to the pool stages in recent years‚ in the preliminary round and secured a victory on penalties after both ties finished 2-1 to the home side.

That set up a meeting with Sudanese giants Al-Hilal and after a 2-0 home win‚ they lost 3-1 on the road but still advanced on the away goals rule.

Despite their 2-1 loss to Horoya in their first group game at home‚ the club has a strong record on their own ground and has not lost at home in their domestic championship since November.

Conversely‚ they are poor travelers‚ be it in the Togolese league or in continental competition‚ so will be aware that this fixture with Sundowns is a must win if they are to have any hope of reaching the quarterfinals in the Champions League this year.

The club won their maiden league title in Togo’s Premier Division in the 2016/17 season and are competing in the Champions League for the first time in their history. They were also national cup winners in 2006 and have twice appeared in the African Confederation Cup‚ losing to Tunisian side EGS Gafsa in the preliminary round in 2007 and to Moroccan outfit FUS Rabat in the first round in 2015.