Angola’s head coach, Pedro Gonçalves, has taken pride in his team’s performance despite their departure from the Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 at the quarter-final stage.The Palancas Negras fell 1-0 to Nigeria to exit the competition. In-form Ademola Lookman scored the all-important goal of the duel to send the Angolans crashing out of the biannual tournament.##NAJAVA_MECA_7855560##In the aftermath of their loss to Nigeria, Gonçalves couldn’t help but commend the formidable strategy employed by the Nigerian team saying the victory was a deserved one for the side.”I extend my congratulations to the Nigerian team; they exhibited remarkable strength, and their coach orchestrated a solid game plan. Their victory was well-deserved,” he told CAF Media.Reflecting on the match, Gonçalves highlighted the areas where his team fell short against the Super Eagles.”There were moments where victory seemed within our grasp. We fought relentlessly throughout the 90 minutes. However, we faltered after conceding the goal, failing to capitalize on our opportunities despite creating chances,” he analyzed.This marked Angola’s third appearance in the quarter-finals of the competition, a significant achievement considering their last advancement to this stage was in 2010 when they hosted the tournament.Progressing this far was an accomplishment in itself for Gonçalves and his squad, who surpassed expectations by topping Group D ahead of Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Algeria.”I believe I’ve fulfilled my mission with the Angolan national team. I’m immensely proud of the collective effort and the progress we’ve made. No one anticipated Angola reaching the quarter-finals, and that in itself is a testament to our dedication and determination,” he concluded with a sense of fulfillment.Angola exits the tournament as one of the teams with the most potent attack, tallying 9 goals overall. Their striker, Gelson Dala, emerges as the competition’s second-highest goal scorer with 4 goals to his name.A million-dollar question – will Osimhen recover for the AFCON semi-final?AFCON 2023 – SemifinalsWednesday20:00: (1.65) Nigeria (3.50) S.Africa (6.25)23:00: (2.20) Ivory Coast (3.15) Dr Congo (3.60)***odds are subject to change***
