Angola name foreign contingent

Angola have named 16 foreign-based players in their preliminary list of players for next month’s African Cup of Nations finals as they prepare to face Bafana Bafana in their opening round group.

Thirteen members of the squad played at the 2006 World Cup finals, while there are no uncapped players on the list.

One notable omission is the Benfica striker Mantorras, who has suffered another recurrence of his long-standing knee injury and not played for his club this season.

But coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves did name the former Benfica centre back Rui Marques in his squad. The Leeds United defender won the last of his three caps at the World Cup finals.

Also recalled are Mateus from Portuguese club Boavista and defender Marco Airosa, who plays for Fatima in the Portuguese second division.

Angola head to Portugal for pre-tournament training, during which the size of the squad will be whittled down to 23 by the deadline date of January 10.

Angola are to play warm-up matches against a Canary Islands selection, Egypt and Morocco before they arrive in Ghana for the Nations Cup finals, which start on January 20.

They will depart for the Algarve on December 26 and play the Canary Islanders on December 31. The match against Egypt is set for Lisbon on January 13 and then they will play in Morocco just before heading to Ghana.

Angola’s opening Group D game against South Africa is in Tamale on January 23.

ANGOLA PRELIMINARY SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Lama (Petro Atletico), Mario (InterClube), Nuno (AS Aviacao)

Defenders: Marco Airosa (Fatima, Portugal), Delgado (Metz, France), Jamba (AS Aviacao), Kali (FC Sion, Switzerland), Loco (Primeiro Agosto), Machado (Anadia, Portugal), Rui Marques (Leeds United, England), Yamba Asha (Petro Atletico)

Midfielders: Andre (Kuwait SC, Kuwait), Dede, Edson (both Pacos Ferreira, Portugal), Figueiredo (Osters, Sweden), Gilberto (Al Ahli, Egypt), Mabina ((Petro Atletico), Maurito (Kuwait SC, Kuwait), Mendonca (Belenenses, Portugal), Nelo (Benfica Lubango), Ze Kalanga (Boavista, Portugal)

Strikers: Pedro Henriques (InterClube), Flavio (Al Ahli, Egypt), Love (Primeiro Agosto), Manucho (Petro Atletico), Mateus (Boavista, Portugal), Diangi Matusiwa (FC Omniworld, Netherlands), Minguito (InterClube), Santana (Petro Atletico)