Angola secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a remarkable victory over Namibia, despite an early setback. The match took a dramatic turn when Angolan goalkeeper Neblu received a straight red card in the 17th minute for handling the ball outside his box. However, Gelson Dala emerged as the hero for Angola.
Dala opened the scoring for Angola with a simple tap-in just seven minutes before halftime, putting his team ahead. The turning point of the game came when Namibia’s Lubeni Haukongo received a second yellow card and was subsequently sent off.
Seizing the opportunity, Dala struck again, this time with a powerful header from Fredy’s free-kick, doubling Angola’s lead. In the second half, Mabululu sealed the victory with a skillful finish following a swift counter-attack.
This impressive win marked Angola’s qualification for the quarter-finals, a feat they hadn’t achieved since 2010. Their next challenge will be against the victors of the last 16 match between Nigeria and Cameroon, scheduled for later on Saturday.