Game Recognises Game: Angola Coach Gives Benni McCarthy His Flowers - ‘One of the Favourites’

Angola coach Pedro Goncalves has lauded Harambee Stars boss Benni McCarthy and his charges for showing great quality at the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN 2024) so far.

The COSAFA champions have exited the tournament after falling 2-0 to DR Congo on Thursday and leave, having managed one win and a draw, while the result helped Kenya secure passage into the quarter-finals.

The draw for Angola was a 1-1 stalemate against Harambee Stars, who conceded first before leveling through Austin Odhiambo’s penalty, but Kenya would play for over 70 minutes with 10 men after Marvin Nabwire’s early sending off.

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Following the red card, McCarthy changed his tactical setup and nullified the threat of Angola to secure a point under very difficult circumstances and Goncalves concedes Kenya fully deserve their place in the last eight.

“Congratulations to Kenya and Benni McCarthy, they made a great performance,” Goncalves told the media after his team’s loss to DR Congo on Thursday.

“If you watch our match against Kenya, it is not only because they played 70 minutes without one player because the first 20 minutes we dominated also and only conceded a penalty.

“But they deserve to be there so we are unfortunate to be out of the tournament but now it will be Morocco and DR Congo [to fight for the other slot] but sure, they [Kenya] are one of the favourites. Whoever gets out of the group has all the potential to achieve [win the tournament].”

Goncalves’ Angola came into the tournament as one of the teams to watch, having guided them to the COSAFA Cup glory in June, but have found the going tough, losing to Morocco and DR Congo while beating Group A’s whipping boys Zambia.