World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Pedro Gonçalves is no longer head coach of the "Palancas Negras"

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World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Pedro Gonçalves is no longer head coach of the "Palancas Negras"

It's over between Angola and Pedro Gonçalves

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Pedro Gonçalves/@CAF

It's a decision that raises eyebrows! The Angolan Football Federation has announced the departure of Pedro Gonçalves as head coach of the Palancas Negras.

With just three months to go before the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Angolan officials saw fit to make a change at the helm. The reason? Unsatisfactory results in recent months.

The defeat to Libya (0-1) on September 4 proved fatal for the Portuguese coach. Now fourth in Group D, Angola has all but lost its chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

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With Cape Verde (19 pts) out of reach at the top, the Palancas Negras (10 pts) trail Cameroon and Libya by 5 and 4 points, respectively. Even the second spot, which could lead to a playoff, is now out of their grasp.

Appointed on August 15, 2019, the 49-year-old coach led Angola in 55 matches, recording 18 wins, 22 draws, and 15 losses.

Angola will compete in Group B of AFCON 2025 alongside South Africa (December 22), Zimbabwe (December 26), and Egypt (December 29).

Pedro Gonçalves est démis du poste de Sélectionneur de l’Angola.

La Fédération Angolaise de Football a décidé, de sa propre initiative, de se séparer de Pedro Gonçalves (3 MOIS AVANT LA CAN!) pic.twitter.com/nXJa8ZMcy3

— Palancas Negras (@_PalancasNegras) September 18, 2025

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