Angola head coach Pedro Goncalves has acknowledged the tough challenge ahead in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) but remains confident that his team can progress beyond the group stage.
Following the AFCON draw, Goncalves admitted that his side faces strong competition but emphasized the importance of proper preparation over the next 11 months.
“From my perspective, we are going to have very tough matches, but in the end, our goal is to progress from the group, and then we will see how far we can go in the knockout phase,” he told Ghana Sports Page.
According to him, Angola will be in good shape for the tournament due to FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the benefits of 11 months of preparations.
“I feel confident. We have 11 months to prepare and play in the World Cup qualifiers. So I think by the end of the year, we will be in the best shape to face the big opponents in our group.” He told Ghanasportspage.com.
AFCON 2025 is scheduled for December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, with Angola paired in Group B with Egypt, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Angola will be aiming to make a strong impression in Morocco as they seek to improve on their AFCON record and challenge for a deep tournament run.
