Angola coach Patrice Beaumelle has warned his side to expect an “open game” when they face Zimbabwe in Thursday’s crucial Group B encounter in Marrakech.
Both teams are searching for their first points of the tournament after suffering narrow defeats in their opening matches, with Angola losing 2-1 to South Africa and Zimbabwe falling 1-0 to Morocco.
“This will be a crucial match for both teams,” said Beaumelle. “We have analysed Zimbabwe, a team with a new dynamic, a lot of movement and pace. They play without fear and we expect an open game.”
The French coach admitted his side’s errors proved costly against Bafana Bafana. “We made a lot of mistakes, and when you make mistakes against a team like this, it’s difficult,” he said. “We need to correct that and be more effective against Zimbabwe to collect points.”
Zimbabwe’s interim coach Marian Marinica has called on his players to forget their late heartbreak against Morocco and focus on the task ahead.
“This group is very balanced,” said the Romanian. “We lost in the final minutes of the first match, but mentally we must move forward. The past is behind us.”
The Warriors showed promise in their opener, creating chances before conceding a stoppage-time winner. Marinica will hope his side can build on that performance and claim a vital three points.
With both Angola and Zimbabwe desperate to keep their knockout hopes alive, Thursday’s 12:30 GMT kick-off promises to be a tense affair at the Stade de Marrakech.
