Angola national team coach Pedro Goncalves has said that his side will head into their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana with confidence following their 1-0 loss against the Black Stars last week.
The star studded Ghanaian outfit were made to work for their three points in the first fixture, with Antoine Semenyo’s 96th minute winner being the difference in the tie.
Chris Hughton’s charges were the better team on the day and created numerous goal scoring opportunities throughout the 90 minutes. The victory saw Ghana take a three point lead at the top of Group E, with Angola sitting in second spot.
Speaking ahead of the tie, Goncalves mentioned his side look forward to the challenge at hand and that they will take the game to Ghana.
“After two rounds we are leading the group with Ghana,” Goncalves said.
“Very soon we will be playing round four and round five against the favourite of the group.
“Surely it will be a very difficult match but we don’t have to be afraid if we want to compete with the big teams. Let’s play football and try to beat Ghana,”
Ghana are unbeaten in their 2023 Afcon qualifying bid, winning two out of their last three matches in Group E.
Overall, the Black Stars are unbeaten in their last five Afcon qualifiers, bagging wins against nations such as Angola, Madagascar and Sao Tome e Principe since February 2021.
In the head-to-head battle, Ghana claimed two 1-0 victories in three matches played between the two nations, with the solitary draw recorded during this period.
That said, Hughton came under fire after the first qualifier after he left Andre Ayew out of the matchday squad.
In his response, Hughton mentioned that the decision was difficult to make but reiterated Ayew’s importance to his team.
“As a head coach, you have to make difficult decisions,” Hughton said.
“You know the quality that Andre possesses, but you also know the quality of the rest of the squad.
“Ultimately, it was my choice not to play him but that doesn't reflect his abilities as a player.
“He remains a valuable member of this team.”