Ondjiva: Football fans in the province of Cunene have expressed concerns over the national team's performance in the first phase of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, attributing it to low emotional levels within the team.
According to Angola Press News Agency, fans in Ondjiva pointed out that the goalless draw with Egypt highlighted a lack of motivation and commitment, which was also evident in matches against South Africa and Zimbabwe. Tuyoleni Nande, a supporter, noted that these emotional factors significantly impacted the team's performance.
Bonif¡cio Daniel emphasized that the coach's limited time with the team, less than three months, was insufficient for players to fully grasp his philosophy, affecting overall performance. He also mentioned issues with team organization and management on the field, pointing out that some starting players showed limited performance.
Mandu Kaulikalelwa offered a different perspective, downplaying the results and providing the coach with the benefit of the doubt, given his recent appointment. He suggested that the coach has yet to fully understand the true potential of each player.
Tony de Jesus highlighted the absence of a unifying element, someone who could energize the team both on and off the field. He recalled that the team achieved better results in the previous edition due to higher motivation levels, citing the absence of attacking midfielder Gilberto as a significant factor.
Angola ended the group stage with a goalless draw against Egypt, securing two points and finishing third in Group B. They suffered a loss to South Africa (1-2) and drew with Zimbabwe (1-1) in other matches. The Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place from December 21 to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.
