Angola vs Malawi AFCON Qualifier Preview
Angola are seeking their first win in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers as they host Malawi in a Group B fixture on Tuesday.
The Palancas Negras will be keen to give the home fans something to cheer about and should have the edge over the visitors, who have found things difficult lately.
Key Stats
- Angola are unbeaten in eight of their last 10 matches in all competitions.
- Angola have kept clean sheets in three of their last four matches in all competitions.
- Malawi are winless in seven of their last nine matches in all competitions.
- Malawi have failed to score in five of their last eight matches in all competitions.
Angola on Top
Angola have four wins while Malawi have been victorious just once, with three draws in the last eight matches. The most recent meeting was a COSAFA Cup clash in 2025, which ended 1-0 in favour of the Palancas Negras.
Angola Seeking Win
Angola come into this clash off the back of a 0-0 draw with Egypt in their opening Group B fixture. They set out to frustrate the North Africans and were compact and difficult to break down.
That result is part of a good run for Angola, who are unbeaten in eight of their last 10 matches in all competitions. Among the results is a 3-0 victory over the Central African Republic, and manager Aliou Cisse will be keen to channel that performance.
At the heart of Angola's recent good form is a solid defence that was at the fore against Egypt. The Palancas Negras have also kept clean sheets in three of their last four matches in all competitions.
Malawi Looking to Build
Malawi began their qualifying campaign on a positive note, claiming a 2-1 home victory over South Sudan. Babatunde Adepoju’s early effort was cancelled out by the visitors before Lloyd Njaliwa netted the winner midway through the second half.
Manager Callisto Pasuwa will be pleased with the result, although that was only the second win in the last eight matches in all competitions for Malawi. They have also struggled on their travels and are winless in six of their last seven matches in all competitions.
Among the recent problems for Malawi is a lack of cutting edge in attack. The Scorchers have struggled for goals lately, failing to score in five of their last eight matches in all competitions.
Team News & Predicted Line-ups
Angola (5-4-1): Hugo Marques; Marsoni Sambu, Kialonda Gaspar, David Carmo, Jonathan Buatu, Pedro Bondo; Zito Luvumbo, Manuel Keliano, Show, Milson; Mabululu.
Angola are likely to maintain their defensive shape, with Kialonda Gaspar and David Carmo expected to continue at the back. Show should feature in midfield while Mabululu is set to lead the line once again.
Malawi (4-2-3-1): William Thole; McDonald Lameck, Charles Petro, Dennis Chembezi, Emmanuel Nyirenda; Lloyd Njaliwa, Singini Blessings; Gaddie Chirwa, Patrick Mwaungulu, Wisdom Mpinganjira; Babatunde Adepoju.
Malawi are likely to keep faith with much of the team that won against South Sudan. Adepoju and Njaliwa should feature following their goals last time out, while Charles Preto is set to continue in defence.