Luanda - The Angolan national football team faces its counterpart from Ghana on Thursday, in Kumasi (5pm), in the first round of group F qualifying for the African Cup of Nations (CAN), Morocco'2025.
The Palancas Negras are aiming for their ninth appearance in the biggest African competition, so they will try to win the challenge against the continental champions of the 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982 editions.
The two teams, identified by experts and fans as favorites in the group, will face each other at the Baba Yara Stadium, in the second largest city in Ghana, after the capital Accra, with Angola maintaining the base of the group that in January this year played in the CAN from Côte d'Ivoire.
Angola is looking for its second victory against the 'African giant', after winning 1-0 in 1998, in the qualifying phase for Egypt's CAN.
The refereeing team will be led by Rwandan Samuel Uwikunda.
Angola's coach is the Portuguese Pedro Gonçalves, who has available Neblú, Ricardo Baptista and António Dominique (goalkeepers), Bastos Quissanga, Kialonda Gaspar, Jonathan Buatu, Sandro Cruz, Pedro Bondo, Núrio Fortuna, David Carmo, Jordi Gaspar and Clinton Mata (defenders), Maestro, Fredy Ribeiro, Estrela, Show, Keliano and Randy N'teka (midfielders), Zine Salvador, Zito Luvumbo, Mabululu, Milson, Gelson Dala and Depú (forwards)
In the history of games between both teams, Ghana beat Angola four times, 2-1 in a friendly, in 1980, and in qualifying games for Egypt's CANs, in 1998 (2-1), Angola'2010 ( 1-0) and Côte d'Ivoire'2023 (1-0).
There were also a draw (0-0) and 1-1 in other games.
The Angolans debuted in the continental competition in 1996, in South Africa, followed by participations in 1998 (Burkina Faso), 2006 (Egypt), Ghana (2008), Angola (2010), Equatorial Guinea (2012), Gabon (2013), South Africa (2019), Egypt (2023) and Côte d´Ivoire (2023, but in the CAN held in 2024). WR/DOJ
