The Angola women's national football team represents Angola in international women's football and it is controlled by the Angolan Football Federation. Their best place on the FIFA Rankings was the 82nd place, in December 2003. The only tournaments that they qualified were the 1995 and 2002 African Women's Championships, and their best finish was as Semi-Finalists in the 1995 tournament. Angola has, in contrast to many other African countries, has never suffered a heavy defeat. They have seldom lost by more than two goals. Angola finished in third place at the African Championship in 1995. Angola also qualified for the Championship in 2002, where they beat Zimbabwe and South Africa, but lost to Cameroon by one goal. Since then, Angola have not qualified for the championships. During qualification for the 2008 Olympics, Angola did not get any further than the first round, where they lost to Ghana. However, they did reach the final of the COSAFA Cup, where they met South Africa, who beat them 3–1.
History
Angola played their first game against South Africa on 7 January 1995, losing 3–1.
Angola entered the 1995 African Women's Championship, against Cameroon, but it withdrew, thus Angola advanced by Walkover and in the Second Round, they played their first official match on the first leg of the Second Round, against South Africa on 7 January 1995; in where they lost by 3–1. The second leg, was a 3–3 draw at home. These results provoked the elimination of Angola due to a 6–4 aggregate, but the Welwitschias ended as Semi-Finalists, along with Ghana.
Angola participated in the 2002 African Women's Championship qualifiers, against Equatorial Guinea. Both legs were won 3-0 and 3-1 respectively. Second Round matches where against Congo DR and First leg was won 1-0 and Second leg was lost also by 1-0, but won in penalties by 5-4 and qualified for the tournament who was held in Nigeria. This time Angola was along with Zimbabwe, South Africa and Cameroon. The first match was against Zimbabwe and ended on a 1–1 draw with goal of the captain Irene Gonçalves at the 16 minutes. The same result occurred on the Second match against South Africa, but this time with goal of Jacinta Ramos at the 75 minutes. Last match was lost against Cameroon by 1–0 in a late Cameroonian goal at the 89 minutes, leaving Angola out of the tournament and the World Cup.
The Welwitschias played the 2006 African Women's Championship/2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea in First round, winning 3–2 in the first leg, but losing 3–1 in the second leg, and losing in aggregate by 5–4. Angola did not reach both the 2006 African Women's Championship or the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup who was held in China PR.
Angola entered for the first time to the All-Africa Games Football tournament, in the qualifiers for the 2007 edition in Algeria. Their rival was South Africa. They won the first leg by 3–2 and lost the second by 4–0, ending with an aggregate of 6–3, thus being eliminated from the tournament.
The Welwitschias debuted on the Olympic Games football tournament qualifiers in the edition of 2008 edition, celebrated in China PR. Angola's first rival was Tanzania, but it withdrew; thus Angola advanced by walkover. In the Second Round, Angola played against Ghana, losing both matches by 2–1 and 2–0, ending with an aggregate of 4–1.
2010 African Women's Championship
Again, the team entered the 2010 African Women's Championship/2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers in the CAF First Round against Namibia and lost the First leg 2–1, leading 1–0 in the half-time, with goal of Irene Gonçalves at the 37 minutes. The Second leg was a 1–1 draw, when it was winning 1–0, again with a goal of Irene Gonçalves at the 51 minutes. Angola did not qualify for either both tournaments.
Angola failed to qualify to the 2011 All-Africa Games, celebrated in Mozambique, after losing in aggregate to Zimbabwe by 3–1, after drawing 1–1 and lose 2–0. Also these matches were the last matches that Angola played to the date.
Despite being one year after the 2011 All-Africa Games, the 2012 Olympic Games Football Tournament qualification of Africa was held 4 months before the 2011 All-Africa Games qualifiers. Angola was paired with Namibia once again in a qualification round. They draw both matches by 2–2 and 0–0 respectively, but they lost due to the Away goals rule. Angola was eliminated of the tournament who took place in Great Britain
2014 African Women's Championship
Angola did not entered for the 2014 African Women's Championship/2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers, who was held in Namibia in Autumn 2014.
