Kivuvu says no to Angola

Dominique Kivuvu has played for the Dutch under-21s

Dutch-born Angolan Dominique Kivuvu has turned down the chance to play for the Palancas Negras at the Nations Cup in Ghana.
Kivuvu, who has dual-citizenship, has been making his mark in the Eredivisie - the Dutch first division - with NEC Nijmegen.

He has played for the Netherlands under-21 side - but had been asked to commit to Angola in time for Ghana 2008.

"With my two passports and no [full] caps, I can still make the decision to choose for Holland or Angola," he told a Dutch newspaper.

"I am hoping to be part of the Dutch Olympic football team at the Games in Beijing 2008," he said.

Kivuvu may have turned down the chance to go to Ghana, but several stars from Dutch football will be at the Nations Cup.

Four of them will be hoping to star for the home team.

Francis Dickoh, who plays for Utrecht, was in Claude Le Roy's preliminary squad, as were Matthew Amoah and Eric Addo.

Youngster Quincy Owusu-Abeiye was also named in the squad.

He has joint Dutch and Ghanaian nationality, and currently plays in Spain.

The Netherlands has a large population of Moroccan descent, but there are few players with Dutch connections in Henri Michel's interim squad for Ghana.

Only Nouredin Boukhari, who plays for Sparta Rotterdam, has been called up.

PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ismael Aissati, who has joint nationality, has made it clear he would like to fight for a place in the Dutch line-up.