Angola’s coach, Pedro Goncalves, has set his sights on Ghana and his own team as the top contenders to secure a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The Palancas Negras are grouped with Niger and Sudan in Group F for the qualifiers.
With the qualifying matches set to begin in September, Goncalves emphasized in an interview that Ghana and Angola are the frontrunners to qualify for the tournament in Morocco. Despite this, he highlighted the importance of not underestimating Sudan, citing their strong performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and also gave credit to Niger’s capabilities.
While acknowledging Ghana as the favorite due to their status as the third-best African team at AFCON, Goncalves expressed confidence in Angola’s chances of securing a spot in the tournament. He also emphasized the need to show respect to Sudan and Niger, both of whom are formidable opponents in the group.
The qualifiers will kick off with Angola facing Ghana at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on September 2, while Niger will take on Sudan. The top two teams from the group will advance to the AFCON.
Overall, Goncalves believes that all the national teams in the group have a chance to qualify, making for a balanced and competitive qualifying campaign. While Ghana may be considered the favorites, Angola is determined to make their mark and secure a spot in the tournament.
