The Palancas Negras will hope they can continue where they left off with Malawi when they play against the Desert Foxes who will also be looking for a win to secure their way into the quarter finals in this very open group.
Hosts will bank on new form and home support

Angola and Algeria will be concluding their last Group A encounter knowing that anyone of them can still qualify in this very interesting group. The hosts missed their chance of taking charge of the group on day one when they let slip a 4-0 lead to allow Mali get away with a draw. So shocked were the Palancas Negras players that many of them wept by the pitch at the end of that game but they made amends for it by trouncing Malawi 2-0 in their next game.

With that confidence and the backing of 50,000 fans who will fill the 11 November Stadium on Monday evening, the Angolans will have everything to play for against an Algerian team that is slowly but surely picking up form in the tournament. They showed their class when they beat the Flames of Malawi on Match Day Two of the tournament without putting any foot wrong. The mind games played against the Malawians, not allowing them to train in the stadium for two days, worked its magic as the Malawians never really got themselves together.

Perhaps the Angolans will try it again this time against an Algerian side that recently qualified for the World Cup after all the physical and verbal attacks thrown at them by the Egyptians in Cairo and Khartoum, Sudan. It is clear to all though that Manuel Jose’s boys will need more than psychological scare tactics if they want to win this game, as well as the tournament on home soil.

Algeria need win against hosts to stay in tournament

The Desert Foxes began the tournament as one of the favourites after beating Egypt to a place in the World Cup. They came highly motivated but it seemed they were not cunning enough and were soon burnt by the Flames from Malawi 3-0 in their opening game.

Rabah Saadane’s players dusted themselves off against a star-studded Mali side winning that game by a lone goal thereby restoring their confidence ahead of the all important clash with the hosts. With the Desert Foxes having a two goal deficit, conceding three and scoring one in their previous games, they will need to defeat the Angolans who only need a draw to go through.

The Algerians will play this game knowing that anything more than a draw in the other game between Mali and Malawi could mean they would be taking the early flight home.

Team news

Angola

There are doubts about the fitness of three-goal hero Flavio coming into this match. The Al Ahly striker has been substituted in both of their matches and he has always looked like he has a hamstring problem. Other players that the coach will be hoping can regain full fitness are defender Zuela and midfielder Djalma. Good news for the Palancas Negras is that winger Gilberto is back doing light training and may likely feature against Algeria.

Algeria

The Desert Foxes also have injury worries of their own as they will be without the services of Yassine Bezzaz. The Strasbourg midfielder has knee problems. Also reportedly having question marks over their fitness are Rafik Saifi who has a doubt over his ankle and striker Hamer Bouazza who has back problems.
Prediction

There is everything to play for in this game and both teams will come all out searching for a victory and the right to stay in Luanda as group leaders. It will be a close game that will be well fought by the two tactically gifted teams. Algeria will try to use their strength in dead ball situations while the Angolans will hope their midfielders can get the ball high into the box of the Desert Foxes during open play.