The Palancras Negras of Angola secured a hard-fought victory on Saturday, defeating the Almoravids of Mauritania 3-2 in the second match of the Group D encounter to claim the top spot on the table.
Angola's Antelopes initially gained a brace through Jacinto ‘Gelson’ Dala, the star striker from Qatar’s Al-Wakurah FC, who scored in the 30th and 50th minutes. Gelson's goals set up a promising night for Angola, but the relentless Almoravids of Mauritania responded as Gassama assisted homegrown player Bouna Amar, who scored Mauritania's first goal in the open match in the 43rd minute.
Gilberto, a player from Athletico Petroleos de Luanda, found the net for Angola, securing the winning goal. However, Diaw of Mauritania found Aboubakary Koita, who plays in Belgium, and scored the second goal for Mauritania in the 58th minute.
With this victory, Angola now leads Group D with 4 points, scoring 4 goals and conceding 3. Burkina Faso is in 2nd place with 4 points, scoring 3 goals and conceding 2. Algeria holds the 3rd position with 2 points, scoring 3 goals and conceding 3, while Mauritania is in danger of exiting the group stage for the third time, having yet to earn a point and scoring 2 goals while conceding 4.
Angola and Mauritania have met four times, including two goalless draws at AFCON matches on January 20, 2023, and June 19, 2019. Mauritania secured a lone-goal victory on home ground in an AFCON match on October 16, 2018, while Angola dominated with a 4-1 victory in an AFCON encounter on October 12, 2018.
The Black Stable Antelopes of Angola, ranked 117th, have not achieved a podium finish but made two quarterfinal appearances at Ghana 2008, where they lost 1-2 to Egypt in Kumasi on February 4, and in 2010, when they lost to Ghana in Luanda by a lone goal on January 24.
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