Rafael Nando is awaiting clearance from Fifa to play for Angola
Uncapped striker Nando Rafael, who fled Angola’s civil war as a child, has been named in the Palancas Negras’ provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 27-year-old is included despite the fact he is waiting for Fifa clearance to switch national allegiances.
Rafael moved to Netherlands at the age of eight but eventually ended up at German club Hertha Berlin.
He then became a German citizen and played for them at under-21 level.
He is currently with struggling Bundesliga club Augsburg, where he has made just two appearances this season.
- 22/01 v Burkina Faso (Malabo)
- 26/01 v Sudan (Malabo)
- 30/01 v Ivory Coast (Malabo)
The striker has been training with coach Lito Vidigal’s squad in Cabinda over the last few weeks.
Angola are in Group B for the tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon that kicks off on 21 January and will play Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Sudan.
Angola preliminary squad:
Goalkeepers: Carlos (unattached), Hugo (Kabuscorp), Wilson (Primeiro Agosto)
Defenders: Amaro (Primeiro Agosto), Bastos (Petro Atletico), Dani Massunguna (Primeiro Agosto), Jaime (Progresso Sambizanga), Kali (Primeiro Agosto), Marco Airosa (AEL Limassol, Cyprus), Mingo Bille (Primeiro Agosto), Zuela (Atromitos, Greece)
Midfielders: Andre Makanga (Al Jahra, Kuwait), Dede (AEL Limassol, Cyprus), Gilberto (Lierse, Belgium), Mabina, Miguel (both Petro Atletico), Osorio (Recreativo Caala), Xara (Petro Atletico)
Forwards: Djalma (Porto, Portugal), Flavio (Lierse, Belgium), Jose Pierre Vunguidica (Preussen Munster, Germany), Love (Petro Atletico), Manucho (Real Valladolid, Spain), Manucho Barros (InterClube), Mateus Galiano (Nacional, Portugal), Nando Rafael (Augsburg, Germany)