Preview: Angola vs. Portugal

June 11th, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

GAME DETAILS Angola vs. Portugal, Cologne, 21:00 CET

THE BIG PICTURE
Make no bones about it, Angola is my team this World Cup. I’ve been supporting the Palancas Negras for months now and I’m so excited about this game that I just peed my pants. Hate when that happens. Colonial history notwithstanding, this game could be an interesting one for even the most neutral of observers. Angola’s defense is a question mark. Portugal’s offense is strong. A recipe for disaster for my beloved team? Angola till I die.

PROBABLE LINEUPS
Angola (4-4-2): 1-Joao Ricardo; 20-Loco, 3-Jamba, 5-Kali, 21-Delgado; 17-Ze Kalanga, 8-Andre, 7-Figueiredo, 13-Edson; 19-Andre Titi Buengo, 10-Akwa. Coach: Luis Oliveira Goncalves

Portugal (4-2-3-1): 1-Ricardo; 13-Miguel, 16-Ricardo Carvalho, 5-Fernando Meira, 14-Nuno Valente; 6-Costinha, 18-Maniche; 7-Luis Figo, 20-Deco, 17-Cristiano Ronaldo; 9-Pauleta. Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari

THE BOTTOM LINE
Bob sez: Angola 7,00000 – Portugal 2
No one else was allowed to predict this game. They all chose Portugal but I saved them the humiliation of being so misguided.

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IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS

Angola

Angolan players earn $5,000 for each goal scored in the World Cup.

4,000 Angolan fans are expected in Germany.

Palanca means “lever” or “crowbar” in Spanish, but the Angolan team is the Palancas Negras, the “Black Impalas.” No, not the car, it’s an antelope-like African deer.

Angola Team Blog
Team roster
Buy an Angola jersey to support the team

Portugal

Portugal is the world’s leading consumer of alcohol per capita.

The statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil exactly faces the statue of Christ in Lisbon, Portugal.

The westernmost point in continental Europe is Cabo de Rocha, Portugal.

Portugal Team Blog
Team Roster
Buy a Portugal jersey to support the team

TEAM BLOGS & DISCUSSIONS
Angola Team Blog
Portugal Team Blog

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BrendanLee

Portugal will need this win to avoid meeting a better side in group C…,but Angola are no push-overs!Portugal are the favourites and would prove it why after the 90mins.
David

Oh Bob, you’re so wroooong ! Portugal will make it all the way to the final where they’ll meet Brazil. And you can talk about Colonial history there !
James

Does anyone know where on the net this game can be watched for free? GO PORTUGAL! GO RONALDO!
http://ecuador.worldcupblog.org/ Trent

Angola will need a pretty quick start and a little bit of luck to to tally 700,000 goals.

In case that doesn’t happen, I’ll say Portugal 3-0 Angola.

Looking forward to the game but already dreading the ESPN announcers’ 90-minute dumb-guy soliloquy regarding colonial geopolitics. Unless Tommy “Roundier”) Smyth is going the game.
me

3-0 (to portugal) seems quite right to me too.
Kiko

The match will be tied 2-2.
Albert

2-1 Portugal…Though it may never be my Favorite World Cup Match-Up is Italia vs Mexico.
ibrahim

Angola are the dark horses and I am sure portugal are gonna dominate right from the start. 1-1 predicted scoreline mate!fingers crossed
me

I’ve changed my mind a bit.. 4-1, maybe.. or 3-0 or 3-1.. I think it’ll end 4-1..
http://www.worldcupblog.org/daily-wrap-up/june-11-the-daily-world-cup-wrap.html June 11: The Daily World Cup Wrap – FIFA World Cup 2006 – World Cup 2006 Blog

[...] Did we get it Right? Without getting into it too much, let’s just say no. The prediction panel will be glad June 11 is over. [...]
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-current-coach-was-the-best-player.html#comments Pedro P

Bob, sorry to be a pain in the ass. But I must correct what you worte:

#1) “Cabo da Roca” is the name.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wavecult/153577989/

#2) This one I saw in the Iran Portugal preview, but until the civil war of 1295-98, all the portuguese kings were called either “Afonso” or “Sancho”. There was no war with the Turks at that time. What did happen was the “Reconquista” (reconquest), in which the catholic forces regained the Iberian lands taken by arabic forces that came from the North of Africa, previously. Eventually it also led to the birth of the country in 1147, some say backed by the Knights Templar (these were later renamed to the “Order of Christ” – the cross is still visible on the players jerseys, just below the neck on the back, as a tribute to the discoveries past of Portugal, boasted with the knowledge brought by them – this was centuries later, 15 century to be precise).

Before the arabs, there were the north european invasions, before them the Romans (biggest influence of them all to this day) and before them the Celts and before them the people that lived there, called “Iberos” (a huge mixture, cos the diferent civilizations migrated towards the sun, fought, died or mingled, either survived or were reconquered for centuries, simply in that part of the world, there was nowhere to go, only the ocean, it was the end of the line) – after the Celts, it was called “Celtiberos” or “Civilisacao Castreja – Castreja civilization”.

More on:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wavecult/153577989/