Sangala signs two-year deal with Benfica
Flames sweeper James Sangala has signed a two-year contract with top Angolan Girabola League side Benfica de Luanda, the club where he spent a season on loan from Primero de Agosto last year.
Sangala, a strict disciplinarian, also disclosed that he has been appointed vice-captain of the club.
He also revealed that he is currently in Portugal where the team is undergoing pre-season preparations.
“I am happy to have sorted out my future as the development will help me settle down and concentrate on my game.
“The club’s move to appoint me vice-captain also brings extra responsibility and it just shows how they value my services,” said the defender from Portuguse capital Lisbon.
He said the team has been in Portugal for two weeks now and they have played five build-up matches, including one that they played in a Spanish city called Vigo.
Benfica de Luanda is based in Angola’s capital Luanda and finished 13th last season in the 16-member Angolan flagship league.
Apart from Sangala, the club has three other foreigners namely Serge Mputu Mbungu (DR Congo), Danny Hangunyu (Zambia) and Tavares (Cape Verde).
Before his Angolan sojourn, on the domestic scene, Sangala captained Mighty Wanderers before he signed for South African side Thanda Royal Zulu.
The club is named after Sport Lisboa de Benfica of Portugal and uses similar colours. The logo is also similar to the Portuguese one. The club, as of 2005, had never won the Girabola League or the Angolan Cup.
The club is nicknamed ‘Aguias de Luanda’, meaning Luanda Eagles. The club was originally founded as Sport Luanda de Benfica, but was later renamed to Saneamentos Rangol. In 2000, the club returned to its previous name, Sport Luanda de Benfica.
