Angola coach Srdjan Vasiljevic has said that his team did well to almost match Bafana Bafana in their penalties defeat in the four-nations tournament in Zambia on Wednesday.
Vasiljevic said that South Africa have quality players‚ and he was pleased his team managed a 1-1 scoreline in normal time‚ finally capitulating 6-5 in the penalty shootout at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
“My team played very well in the first half. We tried to press the defence of South Africa high‚ and to take the ball into that space‚” the coach said.
“Most things we did very well and we scored the goal. We played very well in the first half‚ but the second half was the half of South Africa.
“I’m satisfied with the game and how my team played because we have 17 players from (Angola's) Girabola national championship and only three from abroad.
“My guys are very tired because they had games in the Caf Champions League and the Caf Confederation Cup.
“Our foreign players came to Angola two days before the game‚ and this is a problem for my team because we had only one day to train.
“South Africa have many more quality players than Angola‚ and in my opinion my team played well.”
Djalma Campos put Angola ahead in the 31st minute‚ Lebogang Mothiba equalising in the 50th.
With the game brought forward from Thursday to Wednesday Bafana also had just one training session as preparation.
South Africa meet Zambia in Saturday’s final‚ with Angola playing Zimbabwe for third place.
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