Coach: Edgar Neto

 

Key Players: Natalia Mafiela Kamalandua (Wing), Helena Gilda Simao Paulo (Centre Back)

 

Qualification for Hungary 2018: 2017 CAHB African Women's Junior Championship - Winners

 

History in Tournament: 1977-93: DNQ, 1995: 13th, 1997: 17th, 1999: 17th, 2001: 15th, 2003: DNQ, 2005: 15th, 2008: 11th, 2010: 14th, 2012: 19th, 2014: 21st, 2016: 14th

 

Overview

 

The start of Hungary 2018 could not be any harder for Angola as they open their account with a morning clash against a Denmark team who will be featuring many of the players who finished runners-up at the 2016 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship and who will also have extra motivation to defend the IHF Women’s Junior title which their predecessors won in Russia the same year.

 

However, for Angola coach Edgar Neto, a 14th place finish in 2016 in Russia for the Angolan junior women represented the best ranking for eight years and joint third since Angola started competing in the competition back in 1995.

 

As winners of the 2017 CAHB African Women’s Junior Championship back in September in Côte d’Ivoire, Angola booked their ticket to Hungary, but having won nine of the last 11 titles and beating all teams in Abidjan by 10 goals or more – including Egypt 29:19 – the tournament may have been only part of the preparation for the West Africans who also face Netherlands, Romania, Japan and Paraguay in Hodos Hall in Debrecen.

 

Neto’s provisional 24-name squad features the usual abundance of players from Angola’s top two women’s teams – Petro de Luanda and Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto as well as a handful from Atletico Sport Aviacao, Progresso Associacao Sambizanga and Clube Desportivo Marinha Guerra.

 

Two-metre wing player Natalia Mafiela Kamalandua has scored 50 goals in her 14 international appearances to date, while centre back Helena Gilda Simao Paulo has scored 80 in her 24 national team games.

 

Neto started his training camp on May 11th with the Luanda-based players including national team debutants Moranca Nsenga Francisco Ngonga and Mornesa Alfredo Tenda.

 

Group at Hungary 2018

Group C: Denmark, Netherlands, Romania, Angola, Japan, Paraguay

 

Games at Hungary 2018

All times local

 

Monday 2 July: DEN-ANG (10:00)

Wednesday 4 July: ANG-NED (20:00)

Thursday 5 July: ANG-JPN (20:00)

Saturday 7 July: PAR-ANG (17:30)

Sunday 8 July: ROU-ANG (18:00)

 

IHF & World Championship social media channels

Follow the Hungary 2018 IHF Women’s Junior (U20) World Championship on our website, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, as well as on the official event website and Facebook page. 

 

Photo: Angolan Handball Federation