In a convincing display, Angola secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations with a resounding 3-0 triumph over Namibia on Saturday. Striker Jacinto Dala stole the spotlight with a remarkable brace, marking Angola's first quarter-final appearance in 14 years.
The Palancas Negras dominated from the start, controlling the round of 16 clash against the tournament underdogs. Namibia faced a significant setback when Angola goalkeeper Neblu received a red card for handling outside his area in the 14th minute.
Gelson Dala opened the scoring for Angola, capitalizing on good teamwork from Gilberto and Fredy. Namibia's task became even more daunting as defender Lubeni Haukongo received a second booking, reducing them to 10 men. Jacinto Dala extended Angola's lead with a powerful header from a free-kick before the break.
In the second half, Namibia's pursuit left gaps, and Jacinto Dala turned provider, setting up substitute Mabululu for Angola's third goal. Mabululu calmly slotted home from the edge of the box, sealing a comprehensive attacking performance.
The victory means Angola has reached the quarter-finals for the first time since their semi-final run in 2008. They will face the winner of the Nigeria vs Cameroon match in the next round.
Collin Benjamin – Namibia Head Coach:
“We started very good. You could see the intention of this team… It is a soccer lesson… it's a well-deserved win for Angola. Congratulations to them but I think as a Namibian, it's a bitter pill to swallow but we have to keep our heads up.”
Pedro Gonçalves – Angola Head Coach:
“I would like to thank the team for securing this qualification… It was a difficult game and fantastic at the same time. It's important to keep being resilient and focus on each match as we try to make efforts in each game… When we started, people didn't believe in my plans… now we are here. I won't say we are going to win the trophy, but we are going to continue to dream.”
Statistics:
- Angola's first three-goal margin victory in the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.
- Angola's first knockout stage win at the AFCON since 2010.
- Namibia has lost 38% of their AFCON games by at least three goals, the highest percentage in the tournament's history.
- Angola goalkeeper Neblú received a red card after 17 minutes, the first goalkeeper to do so that early in an AFCON game since 2010.
- Gelson Dala is the first Angolan player to score two braces in the same AFCON tournament.
- Fredy (Angola) has three assists in this AFCON, the first Angolan to achieve this feat.