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African Cup of Nations – Manucho and Flavio score as hosts Angola beat Malawi

Tournament hosts Angola grabbed their first victory in the African Cup of Nations with a 2-0 win over Malawi.

Angola, who gave away a four-goal lead in their opening game against Mali to draw 4-4, took the lead early in the second half when Flavio (pictured) powerfully headed a cross from Djalma into the back of the net.

And they doubled their advantage through Manucho (left) who robbed Malawi captain Peter Mponda before lifting the ball over the keeper.

The win takes Angola to the top of Group A with four points, one point ahead of Malawi and Algeria.

Malawi came into the match buoyed by a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening game but quickly found themselves under the cosh.

The tournament hosts, who were looking to make amends for their capitulation against Mali, almost opened the scoring after only six minutes.

Manucho got on the end of a cross from Flavio but his volley was well saved by Malawi keeper Swadick Sanudi at his near post.

Djalma and Flavio both tried shots from outside the area that failed to work the keeper, but Manucho passed up the best chance of the first half when he sliced his shot wide from inside the area with only the keeper to beat.

Mabina, who won his first senior cap for Angola against Mali, was proving to be a real handful for Malawi who struggled to cope with his tireless running down the right side.

The wingback, who was switched to the left when Gilberto was replaced after only 35 minutes by Jamuana, almost picked out Manucho with a curling cross that Sanudi was forced to punch at full stretch.

Malawi had chances of their own with Esau Kanyenda and Peter Wadabwa both failing to apply the finishing touches to dangerous crosses from Moses Chavula.

But Angola fully deserved their lead when Flavio rose high in the box to head home a cross from Djalma three minutes after the restart.

Manucho doubled the lead six minutes later when he dispossessed Mponda on the edge of his area before lifting a neat finish over the advancing keeper.

Mabina almost teed up a second for Manucho when did brilliantly to keep the ball in play down the left-hand touchline before curling an excellent cross into the six-yard box that keeper Sanudi was forced to punch behind with the striker ready to pounce.

Mantorras came on as a second-half substitute to a huge ovation and almost sent the crowd into raptures when he curled an excellent free-kick a foot over the bar from 25 yards.

Malawi, who offered little attacking threat throughout the second half, will need to beat Mali in the final group game to secure their spot in the knockout phase, while Angola need at least a draw against Algeria to progress.

Toby Davis / Eurosport

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Written by Israel Saria

For the last 20 years I have been working as a football pundit. This experience has provided me with a very useful insight into football and the opportunity to carry out extensive research into the game including its players, the stadiums, the rules and tactics and I have also been grateful to meet a wide range of people connected to football in the UK, Tanzania, Germany .....

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