By Administrator,

Angola Palanca Negras coach Romeu Filemon has named a strong experienced squad  ahead of their International friendly with Ethiopia’s Walia Ibex on Sunday August 3rd at the 11 de Novembro Stadium in Luanda.

Among the players called up include Rudy playing for Belenenses in Portugal,Vetokele who plies his trade for Chalton Athletic in England,Dany da Costa at Ingolstadt in Germany,Dolly Menga who plays for FC Lierse in Belgium.

Coach Filemon is taking the match against Ethiopia seriously as his counterpart Mariano Barreto will be hoping for a positive debut since being appointed to take over from Sewnet Bishaw .Both teams will be using the match as preparations ahead of the tough and crucial Africa Cup of Nations 2015 qualifiers.

Angola  qualified for their first Afcon in 1996 where they were drawn in Group A together with South Africa,Egypt and Cameroon.They lost their first two games to Egypt and eventual winners South Africa but managed 3-3 draw with Cameroon.The Palanca Negras then qualified for their second successive Afcon in 1998 but failed again to reach the second round losing 5-3 to Ivory Coast, 3-3 draw with Namibia and 0-0 draw with South Africa.

After missing three Afcon’s Angola qualified for 2006 Afcon they recorded their first ever Afcon win beating Togo 3-2 with a 0-0 draw against Congo DR.Angola’s best perfomance was in the 2008 Afcon where they reached the quarter finals where they were beaten by eventual winners Egypt 2-1.Angola have also won the COSAFA cup in 1999,2001 and 2004.

Ethiopia on the other hand had a fantastic run in 2013 qualfying for Afcon held in South Africa and doing the unexpected when they qualified for the 2014 World Cup play off against Nigeria despite being docked 3 points against Botswana .Ethiopia Walia Ibex then under influential coach Sewnet Bishaw lost home and away to Nigeria who qualified for the World Cup.The friendly will be Mariano Barreto’s first incharge before the team departs to Brazil city of Brasilia in Sau Paulo ahead of the much anticipated 2015 Africa cup of nations qualifers.

Ethiopia are in tough Group S together with Algeria,Malawi, and Mali .

ANGOLA SQUAD v ETHIOPIA: Miguel, Vado and Élber (Benfica de Luanda), Landu, Gomito, Carlitos, Dany and Evandro (Recreativo do Libolo), Ary Papel, Dany Massunguna and Kuagica (1º de Agosto), Gilberto, Chará and Abdul (Petro de Luanda), Patrick II and Natael (Sagrada Esperança), Adão (Progresso do Sambizanga), Wilson (Kabuscorp do Palanca) , Rúben (Recreativo da Caála), António (Lausanne/ Switzerland).

The list also includes Kusunga (FC Oldham/Germany), Bastos (Rostov/Russia), Freddy (Belenenses/Portugal), Djalma Campos (Konya Sport/Turkey), Vetokele (Charlton Athletic/England), Alexander (SC Cambuur/Holland), Dany da Costa (FC Ingolstadt/Germany) Rudy (Belenenses/Portugal), Dolly Menga (FC Lierse/Belgium), Clinton (Sport. Charleroi/Belgium) and Buatu (FC Fulham/England).

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com