Zimbabwe vs Angola

Angola first qualified for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1996, the same year South Africa last hosted the tournament. Now, Angola is hoping to return to South African for AFCON 2013, having to go in a two-legged playoff against Zimbabwe.

Beginning in 2005, Angola has risen in the ranks of African football, with qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup as its most signature moment. For its success, however, Angola has only reached the quarterfinals twice, in 2008 and as hosts in 2010. On two occasions (2006 and 2012), Angola missed out on the knockout stages by goal differential.

A member of two previous AFCON campaigns, Manucho helped Angola reach AFCON 2012, having scored four of the team’s seven goals in qualifying. None was more important than his fourth goal in qualifying: in Guinea-Bissau, Manucho helped Angola overtake Uganda on the final day of qualifying to win the group and a spot at AFCON 2012.

Angola has several players still from the 2006 World Cup team on the roster, as four players has appeared for Angola on more than 60 occasions, including Flavio and Gilberto.

While Angola has become one on the top teams in Africa, Zimbabwe was once a top team of African in the 1990s.

Despite having reached as high as 40 in the FIFA World Rankings, Zimbabwe has only qualified for the 2004 and 2006 editions of AFCON. Yet, Zimbabwe won the group stage finales on both occasions, and amember of both teams, Esrom Nyandoro, who scored the goal of the tournament against Cameroon, is looking to revive Zimbabwe’s football fortunes. Despite having participated in four World Cup qualifying campaigns, Nyandoro has seen Zimbabwe dip to its lowest ranking ever at 131. However, since two years ago, Zimbabwe began showing improvement, even though the country finished third in its group in qualifying for AFCON 2012.

Keith “Knowledge” Musona led the team in scoring with four of the team’s seven goals, two of which came in a shocking 2-1 victory against Mali in 

AFCON 2012 qualifying, the second of which came in the 90^th minute.

Musona scored more crucial goals as of late, particularly in their most recent qualifiers for AFCON 2013. Despite losing 2-1 to Burundi on a stoppage time goal, Zimbabwe got a valuable away goal courtesy of Musona. Four months later, in the second leg, Musona would score again, as his goal helped Zimbabwe win 1-0, but more importantly win by virtue of away goals.

In addition to eight friendlies, Angola and Zimbabwe have met each other in qualifying for the 1994, 1998 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, as well as qualifying for AFCON 1998. When Zimbabwe defeated Angola 2-0 in March 2005, Zimbabwe became “Unofficial World Football Champions.” Yet, Angola stilled qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

All 16 previous matches had been decided by no more than two goals. The last time these two nations met in AFCON qualifying, Angola defeated Zimbabwe to reach AFCON 1998.  Who will survive this match and reach AFCON 2013? The answer will come this October.