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Angola Team Information
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Angola - Team Profile
01/06/2006
The Black Hawks were surprise qualifiers for their first World Cup coming through a group containing Algeria, Gabon, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
It was a virtually impeccable home record which proved their greatest asset conceding just one goal in five matches while scoring eight. Not so hot away from home, the decisive game was the away trip to Nigeria as Paulo Figuereido's second-half goal earned them a valuable 1-1 draw. The result meant Angola qualified for their first World Cup because they had the better head-to-head against Nigeria.
It could have all been so different with Angola having to pre-qualify to get to the group stage. They lost the first leg against Chad 3-1 and only qualified on away goals thanks to a 2-0 win having installed Luis Oliveira Goncalves, nicknamed "The Professor" as manager. It was Goncalves who scoured Portugal for Angolian-qualified players. At Benfica was striker Mantorras, while elsewhere he found Love, Figueirido, Andre Titi Buengo, Maurito and Ze Kalanga.
A disappointing African Cup of Nations in which they failed to qualify for the latter stages on goal difference perhaps does not bode well for the World Cup but "The Professor" is convinced his players are improving all the time and it should come as no surprise if Angola provide a few shocks in this year's tournament especially if lone striker Fabrice Akwa is on form.
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