TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON: Players needed to prove their quality - Marcos Antunes

Angola's coach, Marcos Antunes, emphasized that the Sable Antelopes had to demonstrate their quality on the field when they narrowly defeated Zambia 8-5 in their second Group A fixture of the TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON Morocco 2024.

The Southern Africans suffered a defeat in their opening match against Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Hall in Rabat, making a victory imperative to enhance their chances of progressing to the semi-finals.

"We are representing our country, not just a club, and many people expect us to win. I conveyed this message to the players during halftime," he explained. "They possess quality and talent, but they need to showcase it on the field."

"After losing 5-2 to Morocco, we needed three points. We prepared the players to understand their capabilities and urged them to function as a cohesive unit. When we play collectively, we become a formidable team. However, when we don't, it becomes challenging for the coach," concluded the Portuguese coach.

Meanwhile, Zambia's Andrea Cristoforetti described the match as an evenly contested game of Futsal.

"It was an enjoyable game; I anticipated a thrilling Futsal encounter, and indeed, it was. The match could have swung either way," Andrea remarked.

"I anticipated a tough game against Angola; they have a team comprising quality players. We aimed to approach the game while retaining our identity, and I believe we did well in our preparation.

"Unfortunately, we conceded goals while utilizing the flying goalkeeper strategy, although it contributed to our offensive play," he added.