It was a dramatic and eventful AFCON round of 16 clash as Angola overcame being reduced to 10 men early to defeat Namibia 3-0 at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny on Saturday.
A brace from Gelson Dala and one from Mabululu gave the Palancas Negras the win over the Brave Warriors in a game got off with a chaotic story.
Angola were reduced to 10 men in the 17th minute after goalkeeper Tony Cabaça was shown a straight red card for a handball outside the penalty area.
Cabaça had charged off his line in an attempt to clear a lobbed effort from Namibia’s Bethuel Muzeu, but misjudged the bounce and was forced to illegally use his hands.
Despite the setback, Angola continued pressing forward and were rewarded for their attacking intent in the 33rd minute. A slick passing move saw Fredy exchange passes with Gilberto before squaring the ball for Gelson Dala to tap home from close range for a 1-0 lead. The goal was just reward for Angola’s enterprise and positive mindset even after losing their keeper early.
Things soon went from bad to worse for the Namibians in the 44th minute when defender Lubeni Haukongo received his second yellow card for tripping Angola’s Zito as he tried to streak through on goal. The dismissal left both sides with just 10 men before halftime.
Sensing blood in the water, Angola ruthlessly capitalized on their man advantage just before the interval. A free kick on the left side was whipped in towards the far post where Dala rose above the defense to powerfully head the ball into the top corner for his second of the game. The 2-0 lead was a fair reflection of Angola’s dominance despite being a man down.
Needing a big second half response, Namibia were unable to overturn the deficit. Angola continued controlling possession and pace of play. They put the result beyond doubt in the 71st minute courtesy of a beautifully constructed goal. Dala threaded a pass into the path of Mabululu’s surging run, and he expertly curled his shot into the far corner from the edge of the box.
Dala would end the match with a brace to take his AFCON goals tally to 4, while Mabululu’s clinical finish sealed Angola’s biggest ever victory at the tournament. The 3-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of the gulf in quality between the two sides.
The win books Angola a quarterfinal spot for the first time since 2010 and delivers their largest ever margin of victory at the tournament.
Angola’s victory sets up a mouth-watering quarterfinal clash with either Nigeria or Cameroon. After years of AFCON heartbreak, the Palancas Negras have finally exorcised their knockout round demons in dramatic fashion.
