"They are disqualified. This group (B) is a three-team tournament," Yaouba Amoa, a coordinator with the Confederation of African Football said.

The Togo squad left Cabinda on Sunday after Friday's attack on their bus.

The team's assistant coach and media officer were killed and reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale seriously wounded by separatists from the enclave of Cabinda.

Togo left on a chartered flight sent to collect them after the attack but had expressed the hope they might be able to return and compete at the Nations Cup.

The other teams in Group B are Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Togo midfielder Thomas Dossevi described the CAF decision to keep the schedule set rigidly as "serious and ridiculous".

"It would have been simple for us to come back and play on January 21, I think Ghana would have agreed to that," he told Reuters.

"It is a serious and ridiculous decision. Everybody wanted us to be here and play the African Nations Cup."

The Togo squad departed the tournament on Sunday after Friday's attack on their team bus. Their assistant coach and press officer were killed and reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale seriously wounded by separatists from the enclave of Cabinda.

Togo left on a chartered flight sent to collect them after the attack but had expressed the hope they might be able to return and compete at the Nations Cup.

Several players spoken of their willingness to play on at the tournament but Togo's government said it had ordered them home.

Captain Emmanuel Adebayor said at Cabinda airport that Togo might come back and attempt to play their Group B fixtures.

The CAF official, however, said that it would be impossible to change the tournament schedule

Posted by: M.H.Konneh

Source: Eurosport News