In Côte d'Ivoire, Angola will be playing in its 9th AFCON, the 2nd in a row. Quarter-finalists on two occasions, in 2008 and 2010, the Palancas Negras are aiming to achieve their best-ever result at AFCON 2023.
The country
Surface area: 1,246,700 km2
Population: 35,981,281
Language: Portuguese
Nickname: Palancas Negras
Motto: United we stand
Angola and the AFCON
Title: 0
Final: 0
Participation before AFCON 2023: 8
Host country: 1 (2010)
AFCON history
1996: 1st round
1998: 1st round
2006: 1st round
2008: Quarter-final
2010: Quarter-final
2012: 1st round
2013: 1st round
2019: 1st round
Record at AFCON
26 matches
6 wins
10 draws
9 defeats
30 goals scored
39 goals conceded
M'Bala Nzola, a player to watch
M'Bala Nzola will be one of the Palancas Negras' attacking assets. Born in France, the striker has always expressed a desire to defend the colors of his homeland. He will play his first game for Angola in 2021 against Gambia in the AFCON qualifiers. In Côte d'Ivoire, he will play in his first AFCON. This season in Serie A, the 27-year-old has made 17 appearances, scoring just once. However, the Fiorentina striker is determined to shine for his country. And he has the talent to do it. He's a left-footed centre-forward with considerable physical strength. An adept at playing deep, he has excellent speed. Nzola also stands out for his defensive retreats and good ball control.
Pedro Gonçalves, Angola coach
At the helm of Angola since 2019, Pedro Gonçalves will play his second AFCON in Côte d'Ivoire with the Palancas Negras. The Portuguese coach is aiming to reach the second round. This would be a fine achievement for the 47-year-old coach, who has a proven track record with Angola's youth teams. Gonçalves qualified the U17s for the 2017 World Cup. He had a brief spell with the U20s and U23s before taking over the reins of the senior team. Since then, he has enjoyed the confidence of the management team.
Angola's schedule in Group D
January 15, 2024 at Bouaké Stadium
8pm: Angola-Algeria
January 20, 2024 at Bouaké Stadium
5pm: Angola-Mauritania
January 23, 2024 at Stade Charles Konan Banny, Yamoussoukro
8pm: Angola-Burkina Faso
