Angola vs South Africa - OpenThread

Angola 1-1 South Africa FINAL

30′ Manucho — 87′ Van Heerden

Amazingly good game — the most exciting I’ve seen so far this tournament. S. Africa gets a late and much-deserved equalizer, then holds on by their fingernails till the end. A very fair result.

90 + 5 The whistle blows at last after a final five frenetic minutes of play. Final score 1-1, which is a just result.

90 + 2 Flavio is given too much room, but shoots wide.

90′ 5 minutes stoppage time.

89′ Airosa off, Marques(?) on for Angola

86′ GOAL!!!! South Africa equalizes at last with a beautiful Van Heerden strike.

84′ Airoza is stretchered off with leg cramps.

81′ That REALLY looked like a goal for S. Africa. They thought it was in, but Lama Manucho cleared it off the line.

80′ Airoza, Angola booked for time wasting.

79′ Bryce Moon of S. Africa gets booked for having an attitude with the ref.

72′ Edson in, Mendonca off for Angola

70′ Pienaar off, Van Heerden in for S. Africa

68′ Mokoeno is booked for a tackle from behind. The free kick goes nowhere.

63′ The TV graphics keep saying Ze Kalanga is Baptista. Whoever it is, he almost scored.

60′ Have we really gone a full hour without a booking?

57′ Flavio unintentionally stomps on the foot of Chabangu, who is stretchered off when play finally stops.

52′ Figueiredo off for Angola, Ze Kalanga is on. Good change. He was looking a bit ineffective.

47′ Kali of Angola blocked a shot with his upper thigh. Or higher. Ouch. He’s stretchered off. The shot could easily have gone in otherwise, though. Way to take it for the team, Kali.

46′ Second half. S. Africa apparently made two changes, but I was away from the computer and couldn’t hear who they were. Both teams are starting the second half on the attack.

45 + 2′ Halftime. S. Africa started well, but seemed to lose their will to live after that first goal. With luck they’ll get a good pep talk in the locker room and come back ready to fight.

42′ I’m counting ten red shirts, so Asha must be back. Angola is dominating and S. Africa is looking a bit disorganized.

39′ Asha is stretchered off for Angola with an ankle injury. He wants to keep playing, but medical staff is making him wait.

30′ GOAL!!! Manucho for Angola. S. Africa had been looking more threatening, but Angola scores first. This is what ManU sees in this player. He delivers a lovely, high strike just out of the keeper’s reach.

24′ Flavio finally retakes the field. Has to be a relief for Angola, who have been struggling without him.

16′ Flavio is down for Angola, bleeding after a knee to the head by keeper Josephs. He heads off the field for treatment.

10′ Nothing much going on. A couple of chances for each side. And how much do I love the name Surprise Moriri? Think he was a planned baby?

0′ And we’re off.

Angola in red, S. Africa in yellow. (And I have NEVER heard a team harmonize on the national anthem the way s. Africa just did.)

Preview

It’s the battle of the 2010 hosts in Group D. Angola will host the next Africa Cup of Nations in two year’s time while South Africa are will host a little get together known as the World Cup. Today we get to see exactly who is this Manucho kid that Manchester United have signed, and we’ll also get an answer to the big South African question: Was Carlos Alberto Parreira crazy to leave out Benni McCarthy, or is it part of a genius masterplan?

Scouting:

Angola: Angola was a World Cup Team in 2006 for the first time in history. They didn’t make it out of the group stage, but they lost only one game, 1-0 against Portugal. They also finished with draws against Mexico and Iran. Not enough to advance, but more than was expected.

In this tournament, they’re aiming to make it out of the group stages for the first time ever. Keep an eye on Manucho Gonçalves, who was recently purchased by Manchester United in the EPL.

Expected starting lineup accodring to Angola blogger Kiko: Goalkeeper: Lama; Defenders: Loco, Kali, Rui Marques and Yamba Asha; Midfielders: Andre Makanga, Figueiredo, Gilberto and Mendonca; Forwards: Flavio and Manucho

South Africa: The Brazilian Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is trying to engineer a return to the glory days of the nineties, when they won this tournament in 1996. It may not happen this year, though. Parreira has dropped some of his experienced players, such as thirty-year-old striker Benni McCarthy, currently at Blackburn in the EPL, and replaced them with players who have perhaps more future potential but less current experience.

The team is coming off recent wins against Botswana and Mozambique, which should up their confidence levels a bit.

Expected lineup according to our South Africa blogger Andreas: Josephs, Moon, Masilela, Mhlongo, Morris, Mokoena, Pienaar, Modise, Moriri, Zuma, Tshabalala

Blogs: Be sure to check out our South Africa blog, hosted by Andreas, and our Angola blog, hosted by Kiko.

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