By Durosimi Thomas BBC Sport

Angola have never reached the World Cup finals

Angola could emulate Senegal's qualification to the last World Cup after an impressive display when drawing 0-0 with Algeria in Annaba on Saturday.

It was in the same Algerian city on 16 June 2000 that Senegal began their road to the 2002 World Cup when they took the lead before drawing 1-1 with the Algerians.

The Lions of Teranga went on to contest the final of the 2002 Cup of Nations, which they lost on penalties, and then reached the quarter-finals of that year's World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan.

With the same pace, skill and dynamism as the Senegalese, Angola are poised to do the same to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the Nations Cup in Egypt the same year.

Group Four results

In Algeria, Angola displayed a brand of football similar to Brazilian sides of the 1980s and they were able to hold the 2004 Nations Cup quarter-finalists for the best part of the game.

In fact, the Angolans had the better chances with Maurito failing to beat the keeper after dribbling past two defenders on the hourmark.

Maurito has the potential of El Hadji Douf, the Senegalese striker who took much of the praise for Senegal's exploits in the early part of this decade.

2006 World Cup tables

Flavio, who plays in Angola for Petro Luanda, also had a similar close-range chance after coming on as a 65th-minute substitute but he lost control as he was about to aim his shot.

Love (left) led the line for Angola in Algeria

Every section of the Angolan line-up was composed and confident, especially when the side gained possession.

Goalkeeper Joao Ricardo Perreira cut out most of the crosses that came inside his box and denied Salim Arrache a one-on-one chance in the 89th minute to keep his team in the match.

Algerian strikers Abdelmalek Cherrad and Nadjib Badache had previously headed over the bar and against the angle of the post respectively, but Angola's solid defence ultimately held them at bay.

Angola's experienced coach Oliveira Goncalves could make a name for himself if he succeeds with the Palancas Negras like French coach Bruno Metsu did with the 'Lions of Teranga'.

Goncalves already has a gold medal for winning the Under-20 African Nations Cup for Angola in Ethiopia in 2001.

Angola play in a group that also includes Rwanda, Gabon, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, the current leaders and the Palancas Negras' next opponents on 20 June in Luanda.