In case the National team beats the Central African Republic (CAR), in a game scheduled for Saturday afternoon, it will justify its growth, given the various difficulties it faces that are not public knowledge, said Wednesday in Luanda the national team coach, Pedro Gonçalves.
Without much explanation, the Portuguese coach said that, despite everything, the team has remained focused on qualifying for the CAN´2024, to be held in Côte d’Ivoire, and that the two remaining games of the qualifiers will be seen as finals.
Taking stock of the preparation completed Tuesday, in Portugal, aiming for the challenge of the 5th round, the coach informed again to the little training time with the full group which affects the work plan.
He considers CAR a team that plays fast, being physically strong and efficient especially in set pieces, adding that he prepared his team taking into account these elements.
Pedro Gonçalves assures that the national team is ready to win, as long as the players keep focused on what was worked on during the week and to be less anxious during the match.
The last time these two teams met, in June 2022, Angola won 2-1, in a game played at the 11 de Novembro Stadium, for this same knockout phase.
The national team will travel this Wednesday to Douala city of Cameroon, since CAR stadium was banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
In the last round, Angola will face Madagascar at the 11 de Novembro Stadium, in Luanda.
In the qualifying race, Angola is in the third place with 5 points, in a ranking led by Ghana (8 pts), followed by CAR (7). Madagascar is in last place with only one point.
Here are the selected players
The Goalkeepers are Neblu from 1.º de Agosto club, Kadu (Alverca) and Gelson (Interclube), while the defenders are Tó Carneiro, Quinito, Eddy Afonso (Petro de Luanda), Buatu (Valencienes), Gigli Ndefe (Liberec), Jordy Gaspar (Grenoble) and Lula (Sagrada Esperança).
The midfield players are Fredy (Antalayaspor), Beni Mukedi (Casa Pia), Keliano (1.º de Agosto), Loid (Mafra), Show (Ludogorets), Megue (Petro) and Nelson da Luz (Vitória de Guimarães).
Zini (AEK), Mabululo (Althiad da Alexandria), Chico Banza (Nea Salamis), Milson (Ankaragucu), Hélder Costa (Al-Ithaid jeddah), Lucas João (Reading), Depú (Gil Vicente) are Zito Luvumbo (Cagliari de Itália), are the strikers
Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)