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Reuters - Angola must end their goal drought
against already eliminated Iran on Wednesday to have any chance of
qualifying from Group D and will hope former colonial masters Portugal help
them out by beating Mexico handsomely.
Coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves has started the first two games using a solid
4-5-1 formation, with captain Akwa as a lone striker, but with goals at a
premium he may opt to beef up the attack with Benfica frontman Mantorras.
"Angola have to score goals so naturally we have to play with a more
offensive formation," assistant coach Alvaro de Almeida Mabi told Reuters on
Monday.
"We are also playing against very strong opponents who don't want to leave
the tournament with three defeats."
Portugal have already qualified for the second round and will be joined by
Mexico unless the Mexicans lose to the Portuguese and Angola beat Iran. Even
then goal difference would decide who finishes second and plays the Group C
winners.
BETTER IMAGE
Playing at their first World Cup, the Angolans have shown there is more to
their country than war and strife and surprised everyone including
themselves by keeping their qualifying hopes alive with Friday's gutsy 0-0
draw against Mexico.
"We are sure (the Mexico) game will give a better image of our country and
we are putting in a very strong effort also for Africa," said goalkeeper
Joao Ricardo, whose acrobatic display against the Mexicans earned him the
Man of the Match award.
Despite their early exit, Iran's players have said they want to put in a
strong performance in their final game to help save face and add to their
only World Cup finals victory to date, a 2-1 win over the United States in
France in 1998.
"Obviously, it's a matter of honour and pride for us now and we'll give it
our best shot in our last game and bid the tournament a worthy farewell,"
said midfielder Ferydoon Zandi.
"We'd like to finish third in the group, but we're well aware Angola will
provide tough opposition."
VISIT SCUPPERED
Iran's exit has scuppered a potentially embarrassing visit to Germany by
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, under fire in a nuclear dispute and widely
condemned for denying the holocaust.
Germany's right-wing extremist NPD party has voiced support for the Iranian
leader and labelled those who condemn his holocaust denial and verbal
attacks on Israel as "slaves to political correctness".
Some 200 NPD supporters marched in support of Iran through Gelsenkirchen on
the second day of the finals. A spokeswoman for the NPD in Berlin said on
Monday the party was not planning a similar march in Leipzig on Wednesday.
Probable teams:
Angola (4-5-1) 1-Joao Ricardo; 20-Loco, 3-Jamba, 5-Kali, 21-Delgado; 17-Ze
Kalanga, 15-Rui Marques, 7-Figueiredo, 11-Mateus, 14-Mendonca; 10-Akwa.
Iran (4-4-1-1) 1-Ebrahim Mirzapour; 13-Hosein Kaebi, 5-Rahman Rezaei,
3-Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh, 20-Mohammad Nosrati; 2-Mehdi Mahdavikia, 8-Ali
Karimi, 7-Ferydoon Zandi, 21-Mehrzad Madanchi; 14-Andranik Taymoorian;
9-Vahid Hashemian.
Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)
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