| The Angola national football team, nicknamed | | | | Luanda, the Angolan capital city, after their |
| Palancas Negras, ("Black Impalas") is the | | | | win against Rwanda, the Angolans gave a |
| national team of Angola and is controlled by | | | | "heroes" Welcome to the team with every |
| the Federação Angolana de Futebol. On | | | | household celebrating. |
| October 8, 2005, Angola qualified for the | | | | |
| World Cup for the first time ever, when they | | | | Captain Fabrice Akwa scored some crucial |
| beat Rwanda 1-0 in Kigali. The team is | | | | goals, including the winners against Rwanda |
| coached by the nation's favourite Luis | | | | in the last game, and in the game against |
| Oliveira Goncalves, who had earlier successes | | | | Nigeria. Akwa is the fans' favourite having |
| while managing the Angola Under-20 National | | | | scored 31 goals in 67 international |
| Team. Goncalves took over the men's team in | | | | appearances. "This is the first time we are |
| 2003. Angola entered the World Cup Qualifiers | | | | in the finals and we want to show off our |
| for the first time in 1986. | | | | football. We also want to show there is more |
| | | | to Angola than just war and oil," Akwa said. |
| Angola finished top of Group 4 in the African | | | | |
| Qualifying Zone. Group 4 was considered one | | | | Benfica's striker Pedro Mantorras (Pedro |
| of the toughest groups and Angola finished | | | | Manuel Torres) is the most famous player |
| top of the group against teams such as | | | | outside Angola. However, Mantorras was |
| Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Angola actually | | | | unfortunate after suffering an injury, thus |
| finished with the same points as Nigeria, but | | | | missing Angola's last crucial matches. Pedro |
| automatically qualified for the World Cup | | | | Mantorras has setup a local housing project |
| 2006, as it had a better record in the | | | | in Angola for the kids who live on the |
| head-to-head matches. | | | | streets, which he funds with a fat percentage |
| | | | from his salary. |
| Celebrations and festivities broke out over | | | | |
| the entire nation after the team qualified | | | | Back in 2002, Mantorras received a very |
| for the first time, in a magnitude only | | | | serious injury which threatened his football |
| having been experienced before, during the | | | | career. After 2-years of painful recovery, |
| independence celebrations 30 years ago. Every | | | | the player once known as the new |
| Angolan, from the youngest to the country's | | | | "Eusebio"came back into action in January |
| president, José Eduardo dos Santos, has | | | | 2006, helping Benfica win the 2004/2005 |
| now football in their hearts. Upon arrival in | | | | Superliga. |