ANGOLA rate a solid bet to frustrate Group D rivals Mexico in Hanover on Friday and should be backed at 7-4 with Stan James receiving a one-goal start.
The majority of the west African country’s squad play either in the low quality Angolan domestic competition or for minor clubs in Portugal, but what the players lack in ability is made up by strong organisation and a good team ethic.
And, having worked hard to reach the finals, notably at the expense of Nigeria, a team ranked eleventh in the latest Fifa rankings, Angola showed that they had further still to offer when giving Portugal a scare on Sunday, succumbing to a fourth-minure Pauleta strike.
That match showed how difficult Angola are to break down — they have eight clean sheets in their past 15 competitive fixtures — and similar tactics, with their captain Akwa employed as a lone striker, are expected to be employed.
Advertisement
Mexico scored three goals in their opening match against Iran but have been weakened in attack by an injury to talismanic striker Jared Borgetti.
Borgetti is expected to miss the remaining group games with Omar Bravo, who scored twice against Iran, being pushed further forward to partner Guillermo Franco in a 5-3-2 lineup.