TUNISIA,ANGOLA CLOSE TO QUARTER-FINALS (Back Page)

Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale

THE last stage of group matches in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations ends in Tamale today with Group D teams upping their games to gain qualification into the next round of the tournament.
The Carthage Eagles of Tunisia lock horns with the Palancas Negras of Angola in Tamale, while the Bafana Bafana of South Africa and the Teranga Lions of Senegal battle it out at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. Both matches will be played simultaneously at 5p.m.
Tunisia and Angola top the group with four points apiece, with Senegal and South Africa trailing them with a point each.
All the Carthage Eagles and the Palancas Negras need is a draw to enable them qualify from the group.
If that happens, then the results of the match between Bafana Bafana and Teranga Lions will be insignificant.
It is for this reason that fans would expect a very competitive duel between Tunisia and Angola to do away with fears being harboured by many that the two teams may play it soft to their own advantage.
Both teams have, however, discounted such unfounded suspicions and said they are going to put up their best to win the match to brighten their chances in subsequent matches and for record purposes.
Tunisia coach, Roger Lemerre, said he was taking one game at a time and promised to come out with a workable strategy to enable his team to fetch the maximum three points at stake.
For his part, Coach Oliviera Goncalves of Angola said his youthful team was prepared to carry the day to boost their morale. He commended his boys for their vintage performance so far.
Angola will certainly want to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time after failed attempts in 1996, 1998 and 2006.
The Palancas Negras, who will host the next Africa Cup of Nations in 2010, hope to achieve this feat by relying on both experience and youthfulness.
Their linchpin and Manchester United-bound Alberto Mateus Manucho, who has so far scored three goals, will lead the Angolan attack, with support from Amando Flavio, who scored their only goal in their 1-1 draw against Iran at Germany 2006, and Batista Nsimba, who was voted the man of the match in their last game.
As to whether Carlos Alonso and his colleagues, who worked tirelessly to contain the Senegalese attack in their last game, would be able to match up to the fast pace and skilful Tunisians is what fans are awaiting to witness at the Tamale stadium today.
But the likes of Francileudo dos Santos, who has netted two goals so far, Mejdi Traoui who has a goal to his credit, and Issam Jemaa of Caen Club in France will be thorns in the flesh of the Angolan defence.