SATURDAY (15th June)
Uganda Vs Angola (4 PM)
A 40 man delegation possessing 25 Angola National football team ‘Palancas Negras’ members and 15 officials arrived at the Entebbe International Airport on Thursday evening with high expectations of pulling a positive result against the hosts, Uganda.
Aboard South African Airlines Boeing SA 160, they touched down at Entebbe at 19:05 hours ready for the mission at hand; to face the Uganda Cranes in a 2014 World Cup Qualifier at the dreaded Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Namboole on Saturday.
The Portuguese speaking players, fresh from a training camp in South Africa looked visibly exhausted and none bothered to speak to the awaiting press and the excited fans as they checked out of the Airport’s exit lounge.
Well aware of the Cranes’ unbeaten home record dating as far back as 2004 when Cranes lost to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, the Palancas Negras are in upbeat spirits to get a positive result at a ground where many of Africa’s giants have struggled.
“We are not here to predict scores, we are here to play and win. Uganda is not an easy place to play from, but with this young squad, we are determined”, said, Raul Neves Chipenda, the Head of Delegation.
There was drama as Raul and his other compatriots had refused the team bus that was to transport them to Sheraton Hotel where the team is booked until Sunday morning, saying it was sub-standard.
“The bus is not air conditioned, this might cause some harm to my players”, Neves reasoned. But It took the intervention of FUFA official, Decolas Kizza to convince them to board the bus. FUFA officials Joseph Mwanje, Decolas Kizza and Boniface Oryem welcomed the guests.
The team shall have a feel of Namboole Stadium on Friday evening as mandated by the FIFA competitions rules and regulations before the Saturday encounter.
Tickets worth 12000 (open stands) and 33000 (VIP) are already on sale at the different selling points around town.
PLAYERS
Amando Manuel Felipe Da Costa (Amaro), Bartolomeu Jacinto Quisanga (Bastos), Fiston Kumbi Mukabidi (Linbegue), Regio Franciso Conco Zalata (Mingo Blle), Masunguna Alex Afonso (Dany), Ricardo Job Estavao (Job), Elidio Jose Panzo (Pirolito), Fabricio Mafuta (Landu), Adriano B. Duarte Nicolau (Fabricio), Manuel Da Costa Gasper (Manuel), Hugo Miguel B.H Marques (Hugo), Hermenegildo Bartolomeu (Geraldo), Jose Pedro Alberto (Mabina), Antonio Goncalo Cassule (Gomito), Mateus Galiano Da Costa (Mateus), Mario Manuel De Oliveira (Ito), Gamael Mussumari (Mussumari), Adwa Makanda (Adwa), Pedro Victor Mingas (Guilherme), Cristovao Paciencia (Mabululu), Moises Miguel Jose (Mano), Manuel David Afonso (Ary) and Djalma Braune M.Abel Campos.
OFFICIALS
Raul Neves Chipenda (Head of Delegation),Gustavo Antonio Ferrin Rodriguez (Coach), Pedro De Morais Neto (President), Osvaldo De Oliveria (Vice President), Antonio Simao (Financial Director), Jose Antonio Kilamba (Assistant Coach), Nestor Hugo Rozona Sosa (Assistant Coach), Adriano Panzo (Goal keeping Coach), Joao Paulo Ferreira Ribeiro (Manager), Pedro Miguel Essaka (Doctor), Felisberto Veiga Direito (Phisio), Barry Alan Getz (Phisio), Raimundo Ngongue (Team Equipment), Ivan Silvio J. Capuepue (Press) and Maria Da Conceicao Ramos(Chef).
