Angola coach Srdjan Vasiljevic impressed with Bafana Bafana's quality

Despite their 6-5 loss to South Africa on penalties in Zambia on Wednesday, Angola coach Srdjan Vasiljevic has expressed satisfaction from his troops.

The Palancas Negras boss said his side played well and gave Bafana Bafana a run for their money at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Wednesday afternoon.

Angola scored first through Djalma Campos in the 31st minute‚ but it was Lebogang Mothiba’s 51st minute equaliser which saw the teams playing to a 1-1 draw.

The scoreline meant the Four Nations tournament’s first semi-final match decided on penalties and Angola lost.

However, in his pot match analysis, Vasiljevic said that Stuart Baxter’s men are quality players‚ saying they did very well in most instances despite the defeat.

“My team played very well in the first half. We tried to press the defence of South Africa high‚ and to take the ball into that space‚” the coach said after the match.

“Most things we did very well and we scored the goal. We played very well in the first half‚ but the second half was the half of South Africa," analysed the coach.

“I’m satisfied with the game and how my team played because we have 17 players from (Angola's) Girabola national championship and only three from abroad," he indicated.

Meanwhile, the coach lamented the fact that some of his players were tired because of their participation in the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup.

“My guys are very tired because they had games in the Caf Champions League and the Caf Confederation Cup,” he said.

“Our foreign players came to Angola two days before the game‚ and this is a problem for my team because we had only one day to train," he continued.

“South Africa have many more quality players than Angola‚ and in my opinion my team played well,” concluded the coach.

In the wake of the defeat, Angola will now face the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the third place play-off set for Saturday afternoon.

On the other hand, Bafana will now meet the hosts, Chipolopolo in the final at the same venue to determine the winner of the inaugural tournament.