Africa-Press – Angola. 1º de Agosto qualified, this Sunday, for the second and final qualifying round for the group stage of the African Champion Clubs’ League, after drawing 1-1 against Red Arrows FC of Zambia, at Estádio Nacional 11. de Novembro, in Luanda, in a challenge referring to the second leg.
During regular time, the soldiers had to apply themselves with intensity, to obtain qualification, also due to the lack of rhythm and chemistry, caused by the late start of official national competitions.
In the first part of the match, the Rio Seco team presented with some problems in the organization of the game, which allowed the Zambians to believe in the vulnerability of the defensive sector of 1º de Agosto and reach the goal. Some nervousness on the part of the young Venancio was evident (he made his debut in an international competition), but then he got it right, before the break, alongside Keliano, Ansumani and Dagó.
Ricky Banda, a Zambian forward, at six minutes, took advantage of a failure in the defensive sector of the Rio Seco military team to score the first goal of the match.
After the opponent’s goal, the military improved the defensive system and started to play the attack with more confidence. 1º de Agosto tied the game through Jiresse, in the 15th minute, following a cross with Bito’s count, weight and measurements.
The striker jumped higher than the opponents and headed the ball into the back of goalkeeper Kenny Mumba’s goal, in a shot of excellent execution of the military attack.
Before the break, Ansumani squandered a great opportunity to put the military ahead on the scoreboard, but lacked some audacity to hit the “Red Arrows” goal and sent the ball over the crossbar of the goal defended by the Zambians.
In the last phase of the first half of the game, the Zambians still put pressure on the hosts, but without determination and concern for the defensive sector of the military.
In the resumption of the match, 1º de Agosto started better and very early looked for the second goal.
The Zambian team constantly favored collective plays without daydreaming, always in an attempt to surprise the military defensive sector.
With the entry of Melono Dala, Ben Arfa and Cuxixima, in the second stage, the “Setas Vermelhas” teams opened the spaces, but they were poorly used by the hosts, after an excellent vision of the technical team to be able to expand the score. Towards the end of the match, the 1º de Agosto players claimed a non-existent penalty against Red Arrows FC. The Zambian player’s arm was close to his body when the ball touched his hand. In the first leg, played in Zambia , 1º de Agosto won, by 0-1, with an early goal (4 minutes) from Zine Salvador.
In the next round, the military will face, between the 7th and 9th of October, Simba SC (Tanzania), at Estádio Nacional 11 de Novembro, for the first leg. The second match will be played between 17 and 19 October, in Dar-es-Salaam, capital of Tanzania.
Filipe Nzanza: “We knew it would be difficult”
” We knew it couldn’t be easy, we faced a good team, who knew how to complicate our goals. Thank God we had a good result there. The most important thing is that we passed the tie. We are playing with kids and they behaved well. They are gaining experience. Cuxixima’s departure was a tactical change, it’s a shame for football, but the important thing is that it worked. Now, let’s think about the next round.”
Osward Mutapa, coach of Red Arrows FC, visibly upset with the result, said: “It was a good game and in the end 1º de Agosto was happier. our intention was to preserve the advantage in the game. We congratulate 1º de Agosto for the victory and the way in which we were received. In the second half both teams could score, but the goal did not come of the Confederation”.
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