Highlights: Nigeria faces Angola in the quarter-final on February 2 in Abidjan. The Palancas Negras have the most prolific attack in the competition. Angolans Gelson Dala and Mabululu are at the top of the scorers' ranking. Both practically unknown before the start of the competition, they intend to take their team to the semi-final. A journey that would be historic for Angola, quarter-finalsist three times in its history (2008, 2010 and 2024) without ever reaching the last four.

Nigeria faces Angola, a real sensation of this Ivorian CAN, in the quarter-final on February 2 in Abidjan. A clash which already looks promising between the offensive armada of the Super Eagles and…

CAN 2024: Gelson Dala and Mabululu, the Angolan revelations ready to clip the wings of the Super Eagles

Angolan attackers Mabululu and Gelson Dala, revelations of this 2024 African Cup of Nations. © AFP - KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AP - THEMBA HADEBE / RFI Montage

By: Valentin Berg Follow

Nigeria has every reason to be wary. While the Super Eagles are gaining strength after a mixed group phase and

easily dismissed Cameroon (2-0)

in the eighth, the approaching duel against Angola in the quarter-finals of this

CAN 2024

promises to be much more open. The Nigerian selection, renowned for its impressive offensive armada with clients like Osimhen, Lookman and Chukwueze in its ranks, will face Angolans with some serious arguments to make.

Read alsoCalendar, results and rankings of CAN 2024 matches

Angolans at the top of the scorers' ranking

A real sensation since the start of the competition, Angola advances against Nigeria in an outsider's costume which is starting to be much too small for them. With 9 goals scored so far in this CAN, the Palancas Negras have the most prolific attack in the competition. They will face the best defense in the quarter-finals, since the Nigerians have only conceded one goal in 4 matches played. A tailor-made challenge for the Angolan attackers.

We expected

Victor Osimhen, Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mané

to be at the forefront of the top scorers, it was ultimately the Angolans Gelson Dala and Mabululu who found a place at the top of the rankings. Still ahead of

Equatorial Guinean striker Emilio Nsue

(5 goals), eliminated in the eighth against Guinea, Dala is in ambush in second place with 4 goals scored in 4 matches. Mabululu, his partner in attack, is close behind him with 3 goals scored in 4 contested matches, including an achievement which left its mark during their

big victory against Namibia (3-0)

in the round of 16. “

We sat down and spent 35 minutes watching his goal. There were ten of us, we said to him

: “Explain to us, that’s a FIFA goal

!”

», Confessed Angolan international Jérémie Bela on January 29 on RMC Sport.

Not only cool celebrations but also wonderful goals! 🎩

Mabululu secured Angola's win with his #GoalOfTheDay 🇦🇴@1xBet_Eng | #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/YwJqLOTb9H

— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 28, 2024

Two different trajectories in selection

Both practically unknown before the start of the competition, the two Palancas Negras attackers are among the revelations in Ivory Coast and intend to take their team to the semi-final. A journey that would be historic for Angola, quarter-finalist three times in its history (2008, 2010 and 2024) without ever reaching the last four.

Selected for the first time in June 2015, Jacinto Muondo Dala, known as Gelson Dala, had a sensational debut with Angola by scoring a double in his very first match. He has since remained an important element of the selection, signing 20 goals in 42 matches, although since his arrival Angola has only reached the main round of the CAN in 2019 and 2024.

Read alsoCAN 2024: Signori Antonio, from the Swiss third division to a quarter-final with Angola

At his side, Agostinho Cristóvão Paciência, nicknamed Mabululu in homage to the nickname given by his mother which means “

distant

” or “

distant

”, experienced a more eventful trajectory with the Palancas Negras. Having become international in 2013, he experienced two long slumps with the Angolan selection by not being called up between March 2014 and September 2018, then between November 2019 and March 2023. He has only been making selections for almost a year, totaling 10 goals in 29 matches played. No wonder then that the Angolan panther, in reference to its celebration after each goal, only explodes today in the eyes of the world. Bafétimbi Gomis and especially Salif Keita, the Malian legend, certainly have nothing to do with it.

The very offensive playing philosophy advocated by coach Pedro Gonçalves has worked so far, perfectly exploiting the qualities of the two center forwards. This is evidenced by his choices during the round of 16 against Namibia: reduced to ten in the 17th minute after the red card received by their goalkeeper Neblú, the Portuguese chose to bring out one of his midfielders rather than deprive himself of an attacker. “

It surprised this Namibian team. It's not in the culture of our team, it's not the spirit of our team. We want to move forward and advocate the beautiful game

,” explained Jérémie Bela, who came on in the 84th minute in place of Mabululu, on RMC Sport. It now remains to be seen who will win the offensive standoff between the Palancas Negras and the Super Eagles.

The Palancas Negras in training before the match between Angola and Nigeria on Friday evening for a place in the semi-final of the #CAN2023 #CAN2024 @RFI pic.twitter.com/5kguQnncFm

CAN 2024: Gelson Dala and Mabululu, the Angolan revelations ready to clip the wings of the Super Eagles

CAN 2024: Gelson Dala and Mabululu, the Angolan revelations ready to clip the wings of the Super Eagles

Angolans at the top of the scorers' ranking

Two different trajectories in selection

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