Ivory Coast made a disappointing start to their Africa Cup of Nations title defense Monday when held 0-0 by lowest Group C seeds Togo in Gabonese town Oyem.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Serge Aurier came close to breaking the deadlock with two minutes remaining, heading a cross narrowly wide.
The result maintained a trend of stalemates in the 2017 tournament, which kicked off two days ago, with four of the first five matches failing to produce a winner.
The Ivorian starting line-up included two English Premier League footballers, Manchester United defender Eric Bailly and Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.
Abidjan-born Zaha was making his first competitive debut for the Elephants having switched international allegiance after two friendly appearances for adopted country England.
Togo were captained by striker Emmanuel Adebayor, now clubless after spells with Premier League outfits Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
Scoring chances were scarce in a first half watched by a small crowd at a 20,000-seat stadium built on the outskirts of Oyem, a town in northern Gabon.
The best for the title-holders came after 10 minutes to Jonathan Kodjia, a gangling striker with English second-tier outfit Aston Villa.
Salomon Kalou, a survivor of the 2015 Cup of Nations-winning team, did the spadework by dribbing past several red-shirted Togolese before pushing the ball into the box.
Kodjia darted forward with the goal in his sights, but fell as he was poised to shoot and goalkeeper Kossi Agassa blocked the loose ball and averted the danger.
Togo had an opportunity to break the deadlock just before the half-hour mark when a cross from the left wing found the Ivorian defense wanting.
But goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo spotted the potential danger and darted off his goalline to parry a low shot from veteran midfielder Matthieu Dossevi.
As an equally cagey, largely chance-less second half meandered into the final quarter, Ivory Coast coach Michel Dussuyer substituted one Premier League attacker with another.
Off came Zaha and on his place arrived Wilfried Bony, an underachieving striker with Stoke City, on loan from Manchester City.
Togo, who had drawn twice and lost twice to Ivory Coast in four previous Cup of Nations clashes, were well organized and not overawed at facing a country ranked 21 places higher in Africa.
They had a half chance on 78 minutes as Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba evaded his marker in the goalmouth, but his header flew over.
Mane propels Senegal to winning start
Sadio Mane scored from the penalty spot to send Senegal on their way to a 2-0 victory over Tunisia in their first outing late Sunday night.
Mane netted from 12 yards with 10 minutes on the clock in Franceville and Kara Mbodj headed home on the half-hour mark as Senegal became the first team to win a game at this Cup of Nations after three previous matches ended in draws.
One of the favorites to win the trophy for the first time thanks to their status as Africa’s top-ranked nation, Senegal are now in control of Group B after Algeria were held to a 2-2 draw by Zimbabwe earlier in the day.
Senegal face Zimbabwe next on Thursday while Tunisia meet Algeria in a north African derby.
Liverpool winger Mane came third in the African player of the year awards behind winner Riyad Mahrez of Algeria and Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Those two had scored in their countries’ opening games and Mane followed their example by getting the breakthrough, sending Tunisian goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi the wrong way from the spot after Aymen Abdennour had brought down Cheikhou Kouyate.
Anderlecht defender Mbodj then soared above the Tunisian defense to head home from a corner and leave the Eagles of Carthage facing an uphill struggle to get back in the game.
There was a rally in the second period sparked by Sunderland’s Wahbi Khazri, who almost netted direct from a corner, while Mbodj smashed the ball against his own bar when trying to clear.
Youssef Msakni was guilty of missing the target and was also denied by goalkeeper Abdoulaye Diallo as Senegal held firm.
Indeed, the Lions of Teranga could have netted again, substitute Ismaila Sarr seeing his misdirected cross come back off the bar with Mathlouthi beaten.

Source: Arab News