Africa-Press – Angola. Anxiety and replacements of influential players dictated the removal of the National Team, after a 0-1 defeat to Nigeria, in the quarter-finals of CAN`2023, taking place in Côte d’Ivoire.
According to the former captain of the women’s football team, Irene Gonçalves, in Luanda, after the confrontation at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, in Abidjan, the idea of resolving the game quickly increased the group’s tension levels, causing a weak discernment.
Another factor pointed out by the former international is the ineffectiveness in finishing and the discontinuity in the attack, a situation that worsened with the replacement of Fredy (66′), by Bruno Paz, and Gelson Dala (86′), by Milson.
The coordinator of women’s football at 1.o de Agosto added that the Palancas Negras were equally unlucky in scoring from the opportunities created, citing as the most blatant case Zine Salvador’s shot, with the ball hitting the side post.
With a total of 33 goals for the women’s team, Irene Gonçalves stated, however, that regardless of the absence, the group made history by managing to revive the Angolans’ desire to cheer for the Palancas Negras.
In his opinion, the focus now should be on the qualifying rounds for the 2026 World Cup, taking advantage of this group of young players.
In turn, the former Under-17 coach, Languinha Simão, was positively surprised by the performance of the national team coach, Pedro Gonçalves, for having managed to maintain a strong team defending and attacking.
The deputy coordinator of the Angolan Football Academy (AFA) said that the work carried out by the Portuguese coach is free from criticism, therefore, he defends his permanence, with the creation of other conditions in such a way that he can think bigger.
In five games in CAN`2023, but which takes place in 2024 (ends on the 11th), Angola beat Mauritania (3-2), Burkina Faso (2-0), Namibia (3-0), drew against Algeria ( 1-1) and lost against Nigeria (0-1).
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
