Angola's head coach, Pedro Goncalves, has acknowledged the formidable talent within the Black Stars squad as they prepare for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

Ghana will host Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Thursday, September 5, 2024, marking the beginning of the qualification series.

In his pre-match comments, Goncalves highlighted the depth of talent in the Ghanaian team, noting, "The Black Stars have players from the top level in the world.

Notably, the big names are in the midfield and forward positions. Players like Mohammed Kudus, who is currently one of Africa's best, Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey, and Inaki Williams stand out.

While I mention four players, I could name more. It’s a balanced team at a high level, especially in attack."

The Angolan squad arrived in Kumasi and conducted their training session at the Baba Yara Stadium on Wednesday.

They are determined to overturn their previous result at this venue, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat last year in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, courtesy of a late Antoine Semenyo goal.

Reflecting on that past encounter, Goncalves said, “The last time was tough for us because we lost in the last play of the game on a set piece. Ghana was quite fortunate to score from that situation, but we believe this will not be the case again.”

Goncalves is optimistic about his team's prospects, adding, "Tomorrow is a different story and moment. Both national teams have improved significantly.

We have confidence not just for this match but for the future as well."

In the ongoing qualification campaign, Sudan currently leads Group F following a 1-0 victory over Niger.