The fund raising campaign in favor of Angola's national soccer team has so far earned about 42,000 US dollars, an official source announced on Tuesday.

Speaking on the State-owned "Radio Nacional de Angola" broadcasting station, Joao Lusivikueno, one of the promoters of the campaign, said the deadline for the fund raising that was to close on Saturday, has been extended to Friday this week.

He also announced that the ceremony of hand-over of the fund will take place on Monday next week.

Angola's national team qualified for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany after defeating Rwanda 1-0 in Kigali on Saturday, and were welcomed home by adulating fans in Luanda at the weekend.

Angola's footballers were officially welcomed home by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and other leaders on their return from Rwanda Sunday afternoon.

Dos Santos described the historic victory as "sweaty, deserved and fair", adding that he hoped the country's national soccer eleven will "make new and more significant conquests" during next June's final stages of FIFA's soccer showpiece in Germany.

The team, nicknamed the "black antelopes", were then driven around Luanda in a convoy of vehicles to be congratulated by thousands of admiring soccer fans in the capital.

Source: Xinhua