Angola awaits overseas stars

ANGOLA had only two of their foreign-based stars joining the rest of the squad for their first training session in Benguela yesterday, in preparation for Friday’s clash against Bafana Bafana.

ANGOLA had only two of their foreignbased stars joining the rest of the squad for their first training session in Benguela yesterday, much to the chagrin of coach Romeu Filemon.

Angola have called up six players from clubs in Europe.

But it was only English-based defender Genséric Kusunga and former Porto striker Djalma Campos — now playing in Turkey — who participated in a morning session in the coastal city, where Angola are hosting Friday’s first leg of their World Cup qualifier against SA.

The other four players — Belgian-based defenders Clinton Mata (Charleroi) and Jonathan Buatu (Waasland-Beveren), defensive midfielder Joaquim Adão (Sion, Switzerland) and striker Dolly Menga (Tondela, Portugal) — are expected today.

That means the four players will have just one or two sessions at most with the rest of their teammates before Friday’s first leg of the knockout tie against Bafana Bafana.

“The squad would only have about five sessions in total and for these players to only be involved in only one or two is not good,” Filemon remarked.

“You have very little time together as a national team, so it is essential to work as much you can with a full complement of players.”

Angola will host Bafana at the 35,000-seater Ombaka Stadium, with the return leg set for the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban next Tuesday (kickoff 7pm).

In 12 games between the two nations, SA have lost just once, with six victories and five draws.

The winner of the tie will book their place in the group stage of the qualifiers for a place in the 2018 Russia finals.