Angola coach Srdjan Vasiljevic is confident of a good performance from his team at the 18th edition of the Cosafa Cup, which kicked off in Polokwane on Sunday.

“We are here to show our quality and take advantage of the tournament to prepare and practice with our team which will play the qualifiers for the next African Nations Cup,” he said on Sunday, the day before his side open their Group B campaign against Botswana at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.

“It’s a young team and we are going to explore the potential of all the players. I am an ambitious coach and I like to work with young people, also anxious and ambitious to do well.

“I am convinced that together we will work to take the cup back home with us,” added the Serbian-born coach.

The absence of impressive offensive midfielder, Nelson da Luz, due to a left knee injury, was a matter of concern for the technical team, since he had been the pivot around which the team had recently operated.

“Unfortunately it is a great loss. Nélson is a vital player and we are really upset about losing him. However, we are forced to seek solutions and I think we have created the best conditions to be at our maximum force,” explained the coach.

Angola have won the COSAFA Cup three times but last had success in 2004. In the previous two editions, they have been eliminated in the first round.