Regular campaigners Angola have branded themselves as underdogs in Group 'A' as they landed in Nairobi on Thursday for the 2024 African Nation Championship.
They arrived a Jomo Kenyatta International Airport hours after group foes two-time winners Democratic Republic had arrived for the 19-team tournament that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The other teams in the group are hosts Kenya, 2018 and 2020 champions Morocco, who arrived on Monday and Zambia, who were expected in the country later on Thursday evening.
Angola players board their team bus after their arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on July 31, 2025 for the 2024 African Nation Championship.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
Angola nicknamed Palancas Negras - Black Sable Antelopes - will be making their fifth appearance in the biennial competition, which is exclusively reserved for players who are plying their trade in their respective domestic leagues.
“We are clearly in the most competitive group. Looking at the five teams in the group, only two have won Chan twice -- Morocco and the DRC -- and they are clearly the favourites to qualify,” Angola’s Portuguese coach Pedro Goncalves told cafonline.com.
“Then there is the host nation, Kenya, which has made a significant investment. Zambia and ourselves will be seen as the ‘underdogs,’ but I believe we will fight relentlessly for a place in the quarter-finals. We may not be the favourites, but we will certainly have something to say in that fight,” he added.
The Angolan 25-man squad is dominant by players from Primeiro de Agosto, Petro Atletico, CA Petroleos Luanda and FC Sochaux-Montbeliard.
Goncalves, who has been in charge of Angola since 2019, will be overseeing his second Chan tournament. He failed to make it past the group stage in 2022 in Algeria.
Angola's team bus at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on July 31, 2025 after the team's arrival in the country for the 2024 African Nation Championship.
Angola featured in the 2011, 2016, 2018 and 2022 editions, with their best performance coming in their debut outing in 2011 where they finished runners up after losing 3-0 to Tunisia in the final.
The Palancas Negras will next face Kenya at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Thursday at 7pm, before clashing with Zambia on August 10 at Nyayo National stadium from 6pm. They will conclude their group matches against DRC on August 14.
Meanwhile, DR Congo coach Otis N’Goma is eager to take on the challenge in Kenya
“We feel excited for the warm welcome that we have received in Nairobi. We have had a good time in Dar es Salaam preparing for this great tournament. Our players are in good condition and ready for the task ahead,” said N’Goma, a former DR Congo international.
DRC will open their campaign against Kenya on Sunday at MISC. The top two teams in the group will qualify for the knock-out stages.
