Angola name squad for World Cup qualifiers

Angola’s national squad are gathering in Lisbon on Sunday and Monday in preparation for their opening World Cup group qualifier away against Egypt in Cairo on Thursday.

The squad will then travel home to Lisbon for their second group F group game against Libya in Luanda on Tuesday, 7 September.

Helder Costa of English club Leeds United leads the list of call-ups but is likely to miss out after the Premier League in England agreed not to release players who will play qualifiers in countries on the United Kingdom’s government Covid-19 ‘red list’.

Both Angola and Egyot are on the list. It could also mean former Portugal international Ivan Cavaleiro, who has declared for Angola, will also miss out on a debut. He is on the books of Fulham.

There are also first call-ups for former German youth international Kevin Bukusu, who now plays in the Netherlands; Swiss-based Giovani Bamba and Portugal-born Batxi from Desportivo Chaves.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Hugo Marques (Cape Town City, South Africa), Kadu (Oliveirense, Portugal), Ricardo Batista (Casa Pia, Portugal)

Defenders: Anderson Lucoqui (FSV Mainz, Germany), Bastos (FC Rostov, Russia), Clinton Mata (Club Brugge, Belgium), Inácio Miguel (Mafra, Portigal), Jonathan Buatu (St Truiden, Belgium), Kialunga Gaspar (Sagrada Esperança), Kevin Bokuso (NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands), Núrio Fortuna (Ghent, Belgium), Vidinho (Petro Atletico)

Midfielders: Batxi (Desportivo Chaves, Portugal), Estrela (Erzurumspor, Turkey), Fredy (Antalyaspor, Turley), Giovani Bamba (FC Ouchy, Switzerland), Herenilson (Primeiro Agosto), Show (Lille, France)

Forwards: Jérémie Béla (Birmingham City, England), Fábio Abreu (Al Batin, Saudi Arabia), Hélder Costa (Leeds United, England), Ivan Cavaleiro (Fulham, England), Gelson Dala (Al-Wakrah, Qatar), Lepua (Sagrada Esperança), Mbala Nzola (Spezia, Italy), Vá (Pafos, Greece), Zine (Primeiro Agosto), Zito Luvumbo (Como, Italy).