The international tournament featuring national teams from the southern Africa region kicks off with a compelling fixture as Angola takes on Namibia.
The Angola national team is far from Africa's weakest side. Differing from many of their neighbours, the Angolan squad has the distinction of having competed in the World Cup, qualifying for the 2006 tournament. The Red and Blacks couldn't advance past the group stage in the World Cup, and their best achievement in the Africa Cup of Nations has been reaching the quarter-finals.
In 2023, Angola has once again cemented its place among Africa's top 8 teams. In recent official matches, Angola has performed well, securing 4 points against Cameroon and Eswatini.
The team from Namibia has never appeared in the World Cup. Currently ranked 97th in the FIFA rankings, Namibia is on a steady ascendancy, continually improving its standing. As for the Africa Cup of Nations, Namibia frequently competes and has managed to reach the knockout stages.
In 2023, Namibia advanced to the Round of 16 in the Africa Cup of Nations, marking the squad's biggest achievement in history. However, Namibia has struggled to secure victories in recent matches. They are winless in their last six games, with their last victory dating back to 16 January.
Angola and Namibia have clashed in four matches. Twice, the contests ended with a 0-0 scoreline. In another encounter, Angola emerged victorious with a 3-0 win.
The match total is anticipated to exceed 3 goals. With Angola playing the role of favourites, they should score more than 1 goal, and Namibia is expected to put up resistance and find the net as well.
Angola to win. With individually stronger players, Angola should overcome Namibia, which struggled in the qualifying rounds and failed to defeat Tunisia and Liberia.
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