Algeria take on Angola and 50,000 football fans

Angola go into Monday’s decisive Group A game against Algeria safe in the knowledge that a draw will be enough to see them progress to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.

The table-topping hosts have four points and are sitting pretty as even defeat would see them go through if Mali beat Malawi in the mini-league’s second fixture being staged at the same time up in Cabinda.

Algeria on the other hand need a win to ensure their place in the last eight if they are not to be reliant on the right result from Cabinda.

The World Cup qualifiers lost 3-0 to Malawi in their opener last Monday, a match played out to a crowd that barely reached triple figures.

It will be an altogether different story this time around when they will have 50,000 vocal local fans up against them.

In glaring contrast only half a dozen fans have travelled from Algeria to support the Desert Foxes, with visa restrictions and high costs – Luanda is the most expensive city in the world for visitors, a pizza can cost 50 US dollars – – the reasons behind the Algerian fans no-show.

Angola captain Kali, paying tribute to the home support, said: “The fans have been amazing. Our biggest responsibility is to win for them.”

While midfielder Dede is out, he picked up a thigh injury in last Sunday’s 4-4 draw with Mali, doubts also persist over the fitness of star striker Flavio.

The Saudi Arabia-based forward is leading scorer in the competition with three goals, but was taken off in the second half in the 2-0 win over Malawi.

Gilberto, who has also been in good scoring form at the competition, and Zuela, are also concerns for the hosts.

Kali noted on Friday: “Of course we’ve got injuries but there are still another 48 hours to go.

“Players can recuperate, but if one can’t make it we have the men to replace him.”

Kali said morale in the hosts’ camp was high but added: “We’re at home and the biggest responsibility is to our supporters.”

He paid tribute to coach Manuel Jose, a noted disciplinarian who is something of a national hero in Egypt after enjoying a fine run of success with Al-Ahly.

“Discipline is the foundation of any team, and the boss – we call him ‘mister’ as he doesn’t like us to call him anything else, is good on that.

“He’s also a man who has a winning mentality, and that rubs off on us, the players. We have a lot of respect for him.”

Over in the Algerian camp it’s hard to assess their mood as coach Rabah Saadane has pulled down the shutters, banning the media from the last two training sessions.

That provoked an unprecedented boycott of the national team by the Algerian press pack who turned their backs and ignored the players as they emerged from a behind closed doors session on Thursday.

Saadane has also had to deal with one of his squad, star midfielder Khalid Lemmouchia, storming out of the camp and returning home – upset that he wasn’t being selected.

Algeria are desperate to make an imprint on this competition ahead of the World Cup where they are drawn in the same first round group as England and the United States.

Algeria’s sports minister, Hachemi Djiar, told AFP: “Everyone thought they were finished after that defeat to Malawi but they proved with the win against Mali that they have potential.

“They are a young team that has lots of qualities and I have confidence in them – that’s why I call on all Algerians to get behind them.”