Angola rewards CHAN form in World Cup squad
Polish-based striker Capita and experienced defender Jonathan Buatu have both won recalls to the Angola squad for their FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Libya and Mauritius early next month.
Coach Pedro Goncalves has also rewarded the form of two players at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 with defender Caica and midfielder Beni Jetour both winning a first call-up to the senior squad.
Angola have named 26 players for the two qualifiers, which will both be played at home at Luanda’s Estadio Nacional 11 de Novembro. They host Libya on September 4 and the Indian Ocean islanders five days later.
The Palancas Negras are in fourth spot in the Group D standings, six points behind leaders Cape Verde Islands and still in with a chance to repeat their feat of 2006 when they qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals in Germany.
Left winger Capita, 23, returns for the first time since winning two caps in late 2021 while Buatu, who has 54 caps for Angola, has not played for the national team since last November’s TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Injury has ruled out strikers Gelson Dala and Mabululu in a blow to the Angolan side.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Signori Antonio (Etoile Carogue, Switzerland), Agostinho Calunga (Willete), Nublu (Primerio Agosto)
Defenders: Eddie Afonso (Petro Atlético), Jonathan Buatu (Gil Vicente, Portugal), Caica (InterClube), David Carmo (Nottingham Forest, England), Nurio Fortuna (Volos, Greece), Kialonda Gaspar (Lecce, Italy), Clinton Mata (Olympique Lyonnais, France),
Midfielders: Pedro Bondo (Famalicão, Portugal), Anderson Cruz (Petro Atlético), Fredy (Bodrum, Turkey), Hossi (Petro Atlético), Beni Jetour (Willete), Maestro (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Beni Mukendi (Vitória Guimarães, Portugal), Show (Kocaelispor)
Forwards: Manuel Benson (Burnley, England), Capita, Depu (both Radomiak Radom, Poland), Zito Luvumbo (Cagliari, Italy), Milson (Estrela Vermelha, Portugal), Nteka (Rayo Vallecano, Spain), Mbala Nzola (Pisa, Italy), Zine (AEK Atenas, Greece).