adminin West Africa with a population of 500 000 is still ecstatic at becoming the smallest country to ever reach the finals thanks to a shock 3-2 aggregate win over four-times winners Cameroon in a playoff in October.
But midfielder Odair Fortes and Braga forward Ze Luis pulled out of the squad this week to be replaced by striker Rambe and winger Platini from Portuguese clubs Belenenses and Santa Clara, respectively.
“I don’t think that the group is more fragile because of these absences,” defender Fernando Varela said.
Varela, of Romanian club Vaslui was not discounting further upsets from the “Tubaroes Azuis” (blue sharks), who kick off the tournament against hosts South Africa on January 19 and will also face Morocco and Angola in Group A.
“We know everybody is eyeing us because we knocked out Cameroon and we don’t go there to mess around,” he said as his team mates started practising at their training camp at the Algarve stadium in southern Portugal. — Soccernet.
Online Reporter