Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves believes African football still has to improve if teams from the continent are to make a lasting impact on the world stage.

The Angolans are returning home after drawing twice - against Mexico and Iran - on their World Cup debut and their performance has been one of the highlights for what has been a disappointing campaign so far for African nations.

"African football is progressing, but it's obvious that Africa can do more than we are doing now," said Goncalves. "Each tournament that goes by helps us realise that we have got to get more organised and improve on the technical side.

"We have to improve on how we work with players and how we train. We still have a long way to go but one day the world will see that we have a name to defend and Africa will defend it."

Angola completed their World Cup programme with a second successive draw, a 1-1 draw with Iran coming after they held Mexico scoreless in the second round of group matches.

The game yielded the nation's first-ever World Cup goal when Amado Flavio headed home Jose Ze Kalanga's cross from the right only for Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh to equalise for Iran with 15 minutes to go.

As a result, Angola finished in third place in the group, one point ahead of the Iranians, and Goncalves was proud with the performance of his team on the global stage.

"When we came into the game we were thinking only about winning, not drawing," he said. "But it wasn't possible to win because our opponents were also playing to win. Maybe we were too anxious to win.

"But I'm proud of the way they played because Iran have played at three World Cups.

"Against Portugal it was no scandal to lose, then we drew with Mexico and we have drawn with Iran. It was not because of a lack of ambition. We tried hard and we leave this tournament with our heads held high."