CHAN 2024: Angola Coach Highlights Key Weakness Harambee Stars Could Exploit to Extend Winning Streak

Harambee Stars will face Angola on Thursday, August 7, in their second Group A match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) at the Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani.

Coming off a win, Harambee Stars are highly motivated to make a mark against Angola, who are in the hunt for their first win since the tournament kicked off on Saturday.

Harambee Stars claimed a 1-0 win over DR Congo in their opening match on Sunday, courtesy of Austin Odhiambo just before the first half ended.

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Now, Harambee Stars will square it out with Angola and they already have an upper hand going into the game following Angola’s 2-0 loss to Morocco in their opening match at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Pedro Gonçalves will now lead the Palancas Negras to their second match, but is wary of what the results might be.

“I believe the team currently in place is quite able to do this. But the biggest secret is in how you start,” the coach said in a previous interview with CAF Online.

“If they start on a positive note, it will give them some momentum into the rest of the tournament. I remember for us, we started off with a big win against Tunisia, and that just gave us huge confidence.”

Following this revelation from the coach, Angola’s loss to Morocco might have affected how the players go into the match, giving Harambee Stars an upper hand in continuing the winning streak.

However, Gonçalves is not backing down as he continues his determination to guide Angola to a standout performance at CHAN 2024.

Angola are yet to face Harambee Stars, Zambia and DR Congo and there is a chance for a turnaround.

“We are under no illusions about the difficulty. But our ambition is to compete fiercely, surprise our opponents, and advance beyond the group stage,” he added.

His approach has been deliberate and structured, starting with a wider player pool in Luanda before narrowing it down to 23 for a second training phase in Johannesburg.

“Our preparation for this CHAN began on July 17 and has been divided into two phases. The main focus has been on building collective cohesion and helping the players regain their peak physical condition,” he added.

A strong believer in consistency, Gonçalves has retained the core of Angola’s COSAFA Cup-winning squad, with ten players making the CHAN team.

“Continuity is a key aspect of our work,” he added.

He also highlighted how the COSAFA tournament was not only a title defense but also a springboard for CHAN and World Cup qualification efforts.