Coming off the bench to score twice in the last eleven minutes, substitute Kaporal led Angola to a remarkable comeback victory over Zambia, winning 2-1 and earning second place in Group A at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024.
This result revitalizes the Palancas Negras’ campaign, elevating their point total to four after three matches—three points behind leaders Kenya while Zambia stays at the bottom of the group without a point after two games.
Earlier that day, co-hosts Kenya defeated Morocco 1-0 at Nyayo National Stadium, hence bringing the team heading into the evening game really level.
Both teams battled to turn possession into obvious scoring chances during a careful opening 45 minutes.Kelvin Kampamba of Zambia threatened early, forcing Angola’s goalkeeper, Neblú, to make two saves within the opening minute, while Andenson Cruz and Vidinho saw their attempts barely miss the mark.
Dominic Chanda fired Zambia into the lead in the 73rd minute by taking advantage of a loose ball in the area following a setpiece.Following a subpar 31 defeat to DR Congo in their opener, this seemed to fuel the Chipolopolo’s hopes for recovery as well as their first goal of the tournament.
A decision that would prove to be quite successful, Pedro Gonçalves rapidly called on Kaporal to lend urgency to Angola’s attack.Kaporal calmly finished a Gogoró pass in the 79th minute to level for Angola.Just seven minutes later, he hit again, fast reacting in a busy box to smash home the game winning goal.
Shocked by the abrupt reversal, Zambia pressed on in search of an equaliser but was met with stubborn Angolan defence and erratic concluding.In the 76th minute, Chanda’s stoppagetime header failed to threaten Neblú; Jackson Kampamba shot wild from close range.
Angola’s win not only keeps their hopes alive in the tournament but also dramatically reshapes the landscape of Group A.
Updated Group A standings after today’s matches:
- Kenya – 7 points (3 matches)
- Angola – 4 points (3 matches)
- Morocco – 3 points (2 matches)
- DR Congo – 3 points (2 matches)
- Zambia – 0 points (2 matches)
With two games remaining for most sides, Angola are now in a strong position to push for a quarter-final berth, while Zambia must win both of their remaining matches to stand any chance of progressing.
