Hugo Broos warns Angola are a ‘tough opponent’ in Afcon opener

Angola are serious opponents in Bafana Bafana’s opening Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group B match in Marrakesh on Monday, where a defeat or draw will leave the South Africans under pressure at the start of a campaign they are entering with some hope.

After Tuesday’s 1-0 friendly win against a local-based Ghana by a mixed-strength Bafana at Dobsonville Stadium, Broos’ team left for Morocco on Wednesday evening and were arriving in Marrakesh on Thursday.

They meet Angola at the 45,000-seat Stade de Marrakech on Monday (7pm SA time), Egypt in Agadir on December 26 and Zimbabwe back in Marrakesh on December 29.

Palancas Negras (the Black Sable Antelopes) have a 28-player squad boasting all-round quality that has only three players based in Angola. Their foreign-based contingent mostly ply their trade at decent clubs in strong European leagues.

“It’s a good team, you can be sure. There are some good players, they are very technical,” Broos said.

“And a new coach always gives something extra to the players and the players want to prove themselves. So that means we will have a tough opponent.

“But on the other side I believe in my team and I believe in what my team already did in the past. We beat better opponents.

“So that means we don’t have to be afraid of that [Angola’s strength] and we need to be confident in ourselves but they will not give is presents. We will have to play at our highest level and winning against them is enough — we don’t need a 2-0 or 3-0; winning would be a good result for us.”

Angola coach Patrice Beaumelle, 47 and appointed in late September, was assistant to legendary French compatriot Hervé Renard winning the Afcon in 2012 with Zambia and 2015 with Ivory Coast. Venturing on his own path he has had stints as head coach of Zambia and Ivory Coast and in 2023-24 won Algeria’s Ligue Professionnelle 1 with MC Alger.

His Afcon squad includes three players based in Serie A — defenders Kialonda Gaspar at Lecce and Rui Modesto at Udinese and forwards Zito Luvumbo (Cagliari) and M’Bala Nzola (Pisa). Two — star centreback David Carmo of Oviedo and midfielder Randy Nteka of Rayo Vallecano — play in LaLiga.

Palancas Negras have many more players at reputable clubs, including defenders Jonathan Buatu (Gil Vicente) and Pedro Bondo (Famalicão) and midfielder Beni Mukendi (Vitória de Guimaraes) in Portugal’s Primeira Liga and Turkish-based midfielders Fredy (Angola’s captain), Show and Maestro. Danger striker turns out for Al-Wakrah in Qatar.

The opening game of a tournament group campaign is always important to try to win. If Bafana lose or draw against Angola they will go into the next clash against Group B heavyweights Egypt under some pressure.

Bafana and Egypt, who have squads predominantly made up of local-based players, were hit less hard than many teams at Afcon, like Angola, who have mostly overseas-based combinations, by Fifa’s late decision to move the compulsory release date of players from clubs from December 8 to December 15.

Broos had most of his squad in camp from December 18. Lyle Foster (Burnley), Sphephelo Sithole (FC Tondela, Portugal) and Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge, Belgium) are the last to join the South African camp in Marrakesh on Thursday.

Broos steered Bafana to their best finish in 24 years of third place at the last Afcon in Ivory Coast early last year and the South Africans are hoping to repeat or improve on that in Morocco.