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19 April 2024

Former German junior named in Angola squad

Published
By Reuters

Angola have picked former German Under-21 international Nando Rafael in their final African Nations Cup squad but do not yet have FIFA permission to use him in the forthcoming tournament. 

The uncapped striker, who fled Angola's civil war as a child, must first be granted a change of international status by world football's governing body before he is able to play in the Jan. 21-Feb. 12 event in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. 

A FIFA spokesman said no application for the change, which usually takes several weeks, had been received. 
Augsburg's Rafael played for Germany at the 2006 European Under-21 Championship but has never featured for the senior side. 

Angola's squad was only released on Saturday despite having been submitted to the Confederation of African Football in midweek. 

Coach Lito Vidigal included defender Kali and forwards Flavio and Love, who have been to the last three finals with Angola. 

Angola, who have a final warm-up match against Sierra Leone in Cabinda on Saturday, play in Group B at the Nations Cup finals against Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast and Sudan. Their first game is against Burkina Faso on Jan. 22. 

Squad: 
Goalkeepers: Carlos (unattached), Hugo (Kabuscorp), Wilson (Primeiro Agosto), 
Defenders: Amaro (Primeiro Agosto), Dani Massunguna (Primeiro Agosto), Kali (Primeiro Agosto), Marco Airosa (AEL Limassol, Cyprus), Mingo Bille (Primeiro Agosto), Zuela (Atromitos, Greece) 
Midfielders: Andre Makanga (Al Jahra, Kuwait), Dede (AEL Limassol, Cyprus), Gilberto (Lierse, Belgium), Mabina, Miguel (both Petro Atletico), Osorio (Recreativo Caala), Xara (Petro Atletico)  
Forwards: Djalma (FC Porto, Portugal), Flavio (Lierse, Belgium), Jose Pierre Vunguidica (Preussen Munster, Germany), Love (Petro Atletico), Manucho (Real Valladolid, Spain), Mateus Galiano (Nacional, Portugal), Nando Rafael (FC Augsburg, Germany).