Angola will look to maintain their strong form in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers as they face off against Ghana at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Friday night, with kick-off set for 21:00 CAT (GMT+2).
Angola has enjoyed a stellar qualifying campaign so far, cruising past opponents like Ghana and Sudan in their initial matches.
The Black Sable Antelopes have also triumphed over Niger in recent fixtures, securing an almost flawless record and showcasing their growth under head coach Pedro Gonçalves.
The team enters Friday’s match with an impressive run of eight consecutive wins across all competitions and remains unbeaten in their last 12 games, underscoring their defensive and offensive prowess.
Notably, they’ve kept clean sheets in seven of those outings, highlighting their defensive strength.
For Ghana, however, the path to qualification is much less certain.
Once a dominant force on the continent, the Black Stars now find their chances of making it to the tournament in Morocco hanging by a thread.
To stand any chance of qualifying, Ghana must secure victories in both of their remaining Group F matches to potentially surpass Sudan for the second qualifying spot.
Despite a history of consistent appearances in the last ten AFCON tournaments, the Black Stars are now in a precarious position, needing to dig deep to maintain their AFCON legacy.
Angola head coach Pedro Gonçalves expressed respect for the history and quality of Ghanaian football, acknowledging the storied legacy of the Black Stars despite their recent struggles.
Ghana is a country of football, and I grew up watching the Black Stars with big names, Gonçalves told Modern Ghana.
They have wonderful players worldwide, including Europe and Portugal.
But unfortunately, they’re not in the best moment now.”
Gonçalves further commended Ghana’s current manager Otto Addo for his work with the team amid challenging circumstances, recognizing the transition that Ghanaian football is undergoing.
I appreciate the work Otto Addo is doing for Ghana, even though it’s a challenging time.
It’s just an unfortunate situation, but this is football,” he concluded.
With Angola enjoying a period of remarkable form and the advantage of home support, they will be confident in their ability to secure a win against Ghana.
Meanwhile, the Black Stars know that only a win will keep their qualification dreams alive, setting up a showdown that promises to test Ghana’s resolve and Angola’s determination to stay unbeaten.
As both sides prepare to face off, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
For Angola, the goal is to sustain their momentum, while Ghana’s mission is clear—preserve their AFCON hopes in a match that will test the Black Stars’ resilience and grit.
