CNN.com - Ten-man Angola claim battling draw

Angola goalkeeper Ricardo goes airborne in a goalmouth tussle.

HANOVER, Germany -- African minnows Angola famously clung on for a goalless draw with Mexico in Hanover on Friday to keep alive their hopes of qualifying from World Cup Group D.

Mexico laid siege to the Angolan area for much of the second half and striker Omer Bravo almost broke the deadlock at the death as his close range shot hit the post.

Angola also had to play the last seven minutes without midfielder Andre Macanga, who was sent off for a second bookable offence.

The draw takes Mexico on to four points, one ahead of Portugal, who play their second game against Iran on Saturday in Frankfurt. Angola have one point with Iran bottom on none.

Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves added: "I think we showed in the end that we deserved this draw. This will be very important for us. We moved the ball around well."

But it was a bitter disappointment for the Mexicans, acknowledged by captain Rafael Marquez.

"The team gave it everything and in the end we could not convert all the many chances we created. We need to continue working," Marquez said.

Roared on by a 43,000 crowd dominated by their green and red clad fans, the technically and tactically superior Mexicans had poured forward in the second half, helped by a switch to a more attacking 4-3-3 formation just after the break.

But the African debutants defended in numbers and looked increasingly confident going forward as the game went on, without creating many clear-cut chances.

Defensive error

Mexico's Bravo had a chance in the 66th minute when he was put clear by a defensive error only to fire straight at keeper Joao Ricardo.

Earlier, Angola defender Jamba cleared off the line from substitute Jesus Arellano after Ricardo saved from Mexico striker Guillermo Franco.

The Mexicans started well but coach Ricardo La Volpe's five-man backline struggled to get forward fast enough to trouble an African team who defended deep from the start.

The first half's best chance fell to Franco, who picked up a loose ball in the box only to hit his shot straight at keeper Ricardo from point blank range.

Mexico's captain and Barcelona center back Marquez also smacked a free kick off the post in the 13th minute from just outside the area and later saw Ricardo make a fine save from a long range effort.

Angola again seemed awestruck and their first meaningful attack did not come until the 23rd minute, when Figueiredo fired a powerful right footer from about 20 meters just over the bar.

Lone striker and captain Akwa looked an isolated figure up front against Mexico's three central defenders until a switch in the second half. But he also went close after 32 minutes, heading over from Figueiredo's nicely-curled free kick.

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