Angola vs Argentina: A Goalless Friendly With Plenty of Symbolism

When Argentina, the reigning world champions, travelled to Luanda on 14 November 2025 to face Angola, the fixture carried far more weight than a standard friendly. It formed part of Angola’s 50th anniversary celebrations of independence and offered the hosts a rare chance to test themselves against one of football’s elite. The final scoreline: 0-0 — no goals, but plenty of stories.

Date: 14 November 2025

Venue: Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda, Angola.

Final Score: Angola 0 – 0 Argentina.

Match Overview

Argentina fielded many of their first-choice players, including the football superstar Lionel Messi, who started the match. From the outset, the world champions tried to control the game: superior possession, structured build-up, and the occasional burst of attacking threat. Angola, for their part, defended resolutely and managed to stifle major chances, earning a credible result.

Although the match had no goals, it delivered in terms of occasion and narrative. The presence of Argentina in Luanda, playing in front of a packed stadium during Angola’s independence celebrations, made the fixture memorable beyond the scoreboard.

Key Statistics: Angola vs Argentina

Statistic	Angola	Argentina
Final Score	0	0
Possession	34%	66%
Shots	6	14
Shots on Target	2	5
Pass Accuracy	78%	89%
Total Passes	358	702
Fouls Committed	13	11
Yellow Cards	1	1
Red Cards	0	0
Corners	2	6
Expected Goals (xG)	0.43	1.12
Big Chances Created	0	2

What This Means for Both Teams

For Argentina, maintaining a clean sheet (even though it was 0-0) means the squad ended the year on a professional note, with focus on rhythm and broadening their player base ahead of major competitions. For Angola, the draw is a boost—a tangible result against one of football’s best shows that their investment and ambition are bearing fruit.

What’s Next

For Argentina, the goalless draw in Luanda serves as a useful tune-up ahead of their upcoming competitive fixtures. The world champions will return home to prepare for their next round of World Cup qualifying matches, where they are expected to rotate the squad, refine tactical combinations, and integrate younger talents. Lionel Messi’s participation in this friendly also suggests he may still feature selectively as the team builds toward the 2026 cycle.

For Angola, the result represents a huge confidence boost. Holding the world champions to a 0-0 draw gives the squad momentum heading into their AFCON qualifying programme. The focus now shifts to maintaining defensive discipline while improving their attacking transitions. Angola’s football federation is also expected to pursue more high-profile friendlies after proving they can compete against elite opposition.

Both teams leave this fixture with positives — Argentina sharpening their structure, and Angola showing they can stand toe-to-toe with the best.

Angola vs Argentina – Player Ratings

Angola Player	Rating	Argentina Player	Rating
Neblú (GK)	7.0	Emiliano Martínez (GK)	7.2
Eddie Afonso	6.5	Gonzalo Montiel	6.9
Jonathan Buatu	6.8	Cristian Romero	7.4
Kialonda Gaspar	6.9	Lisandro Martínez	7.3
Tó Carneiro	6.4	Marcos Acuña	7.0
Show	6.7	Rodrigo De Paul	7.5
Manuel Cafumana	6.6	Alexis Mac Allister	7.6
Fredy	6.8	Enzo Fernández	7.1
Gilberto	6.3	Lionel Messi	8.0 (MOTM)
Mabululu	6.5	Lautaro Martínez	7.0
Gelson Dala	6.7	Thiago Almada	7.2

Final Thoughts

While the result may look modest, the Angola vs Argentina friendly will be remembered for its context, atmosphere and significance. Argentina delivered their star power to Luanda, and Angola rose to the occasion in front of their home fans. In football, sometimes the significance of the match lies not in the goals, but in the moment.

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