Luanda, 08 September (ANGOP) – The Angolan senior males football team lost this Tuesday to Libya by 0-1, in a match of the second round (group F), played at the 11 de Novembro Stadium, in Luanda, allowing the second defeat in the Qatar/2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The sole goal was scored in the 43rd minute by Al Khoja, at a time when the national team were putting pressure on the opponent in their last stronghold.
In the first round, the national team lost to Egypt also by 0-1.
Indeed, the belief of a victory for the Palancas Negras was based on the successful game in Cairo.
In the match, coach Pedro Gonçalves made changes to the squad; goalkeeper Hugo Marques gave way to Kadu, Ary Papel (Beachi), both predominant in goal and attack in the previous match.
The national team once again demonstrated inefficiency in attack and some lack of harmoy between the sectors, mainly in the defence.
Although Angola put pressure on the opponent, the main strikers – Ary Papel, Vá, Fredy and Fábio Abreu – were not unable to score.
At half-time, Pedro Gonçalves tried to invert the negative trend by placing on the game Bachi, Simone Miranda and Zito Luvumbo, with the changes having resulted in an increase in the national squad’s control of the game, without, however, managing to get the equalizer.
With the defeat, Angola remain in the last position of the group without scoring. Libya lead with 6 points, followed by Egypt with four and Gabon with one.
Forty teams are looking for a pass to the African zone, divided into ten groups of four each. For the other phase, only the winners will qualify.
In the subsequent stage, the ten teams face off, in a « play off » of five games, from which will be decided the five African teams to be present in Qatar.
On October 5th, at 7 pm, the Palancas Negras (Sable Antelopes) will receive the Panthers of Gabon, at the 11 de Novembro Stadium, in Luanda, for the third round.
For the same round, the Pharaohs face the Knights of the Mediterranean on the same day, at 7 pm, in Cairo.
The World Cup in Qatar takes place from November 21st to December 18th, 2022.
