The Crystal Place striker had not played for his country since June and rejected a call-up for Friday's match away to Tunisia, which Togo lost 1-0.
He returned for Tuesday's match in Lome but his side were held 0-0 by their Group A rivals.
Tunisia and Togo have seven points, Liberia have six and a game in hand.
Only the 13 group winners are guaranteed passage to the finals in Gabon next year, with the two best runners-up joining them.
Emmanuel Adebayor ended his self-imposed international exile but failed to fire Togo past Tunisia in their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.