MTNFootball

Djalma Campos

Angola have finally agreed, after contrasting messages, to allow striker Djalma Campos to play for FC Porto in a key league match against Sporting Lisbon on Saturday before heading to the African Nations Cup finals, reports on Friday said.

The Angolan Football Federation acquiesced a request from Portuguese club to allow Djalma to stay until after the game in contrast to the approach from the Ivory Coast, who are refusing to allow African Footballer of the Year Yaya Toure and brother Kolo Toure to compete for Manchester City in their FA Cup clash with Manchester United at the weekend.

Earlier this week, Angola coach Lito Vidigal told a Luanda press conference that he was insisting Djalma join up with the rest of the squad by Saturday, which marks the start of the 14-day pre-tournament period in which countries competing in a continental championship are entitled to call up their players.

But Porto and the federation held lengthy negotiations on Thursday, the Portuguese sports newspaper Record said on Friday.

“We have good relationship with the Angolan federation,” Porto coach Vitor Pereira said on Thursday.

Djalma will fly on Sunday to Luanda to join up with the rest of the Angola squad, who are in Cabinda for their pre-tournament preparations.

Mali are allowing Seydou Keita to play for Barcelona in their derby against Espanyol on Sunday while Tunisia midfielder Hocine Ragued has been allow to return to Turkey to play for Karabukspor against Genclerbirligi on Sunday.

Both will then join uip with their respective countries for the Nations Cup preparations.