Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-02-01 18:28:21
Angola’s coach Pedro Goncalves has expressed his team’s readiness to face the formidable Super Eagles in the Quarter-finals of the AFCON 2023 on Friday. The Palancas Negras are aiming for their first-ever semi-final appearance at the AFCON, with previous quarter-final appearances in 2008 and 2010. To achieve this, they will have to overcome Nigeria’s three-time AFCON champions.
This marks the first meeting between the two teams at the AFCON tournament. Both teams go into Friday’s encounter with three consecutive wins under their belt. Angola finished at the top of Group D with seven points, while Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured the second spot in Group A, also with seven points.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Goncalves acknowledged the strength of the Nigerian team but expressed his team’s determination to showcase their progress. He stated, “We will be playing a powerful team, but we foresee this meeting as an opportunity to show our worth and how much we have progressed. We respect Nigeria a lot, and they are a powerful team with players in the Premier League and other top leagues. They have found the best formation in a tournament like the AFCON.”
Goncalves also emphasized that his team is not afraid of any opponents and that they have experienced various situations that have not deterred them from their goals. He added, “We are not afraid of any of the teams. We’ve experienced a couple of situations, but they did not stop us from meeting our target. As I said earlier, tomorrow is an opportunity.”
The winner of the match between the Super Eagles and Angola will advance to face the winner of the other quarter-final between Cape Verde and South Africa.
This upcoming match presents a significant opportunity for both teams to showcase their skills and progress in the tournament. Angola will be aiming to make history with their first semi-final appearance, while Nigeria will be looking to reaffirm their dominance in African football. As the stage is set for an intense and competitive encounter, both teams will undoubtedly give their all to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
