Vata Matanu Garcia
Encyclopedia
Vata Matanu Garcia simply Vata, is a retired Angola
n footballer who played as a striker, mainly in Portugal
.
. After a good run in Portugal
with Varzim SC, he caught the eye of top division powerhouse Sport Lisboa e Benfica, signing with the Reds for 1988–89, and being crowned the season's top scorer in his first year.
In the following Champions Cup
campaign, Vata achieved his most (in)famous moment; after the 1–2 defeat at Olympique de Marseille
in the semifinals, he scored from a left-side corner kick
, putting the ball in the net with his right arm, as Benfica won on the away goals rule
with that single goal.
After two more seasons in Portugal, with C.F. Estrela da Amadora and S.C.U. Torreense
, Vata would retire in 1999, after spells with Malta
's Floriana Football Club and Gelora Dewata (Indonesia
, where he also would act as player-coach
). In 1993–94, he also had a brief go at Futsal
, in the United States
.
As a fulltime manager, Vata worked with Guntur Bali, winning the league in his only season, also coaching in that country Mitra Kukar and Kalimantan (in 2004–05). He also worked at the International School in Bali
in 2000 and at the European Football Institute in Australia
, as a high-performance coach, of the senior and reserve teams.
, including one 1990 FIFA World Cup
qualifying match
.
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n footballer who played as a striker, mainly in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Club career
Vata started his football career at Progresso Associação do SambizangaProgresso Associação do Sambizanga
Progresso Associação do Sambizanga is an Angolan football club based in Luanda. They play their home games at the Campo de São Paulo.-Performance in CAF competitions:*CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance-Current squad:As of 2011, January 1...
. After a good run in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
with Varzim SC, he caught the eye of top division powerhouse Sport Lisboa e Benfica, signing with the Reds for 1988–89, and being crowned the season's top scorer in his first year.
In the following Champions Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
campaign, Vata achieved his most (in)famous moment; after the 1–2 defeat at Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
in the semifinals, he scored from a left-side corner kick
Corner kick
A corner kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football. It was first devised in Sheffield under the Sheffield Rules 1867...
, putting the ball in the net with his right arm, as Benfica won on the away goals rule
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
with that single goal.
After two more seasons in Portugal, with C.F. Estrela da Amadora and S.C.U. Torreense
S.C.U. Torreense
Sport Clube União Torreense was founded in Torres Vedras in 1917, with the original name Sport União Torreense. It participated 6 times in the Portuguese Liga and its best result was two seventh final places , coincidentally the team's first two years in the top flight...
, Vata would retire in 1999, after spells with Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
's Floriana Football Club and Gelora Dewata (Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, where he also would act as player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
). In 1993–94, he also had a brief go at Futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
As a fulltime manager, Vata worked with Guntur Bali, winning the league in his only season, also coaching in that country Mitra Kukar and Kalimantan (in 2004–05). He also worked at the International School in Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
in 2000 and at the European Football Institute in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, as a high-performance coach, of the senior and reserve teams.
International career
Vata was capped 65 times for the Angola national football teamAngola national football team
The Angola national football team, nicknamed Palancas Negras , is the national team of Angola and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Futebol. Angola reached 45th in the FIFA Rankings in July 2002...
, including one 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
qualifying match
1990 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
The Confederation of African Football section of the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification saw teams competing for two berths in the final tournament in Italy....
.
Team
- Portuguese League: 1988–89, 1990–91
- Portuguese Supercup: 1988
- European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: Runner-up 1989–90 - Maltese CupMaltese CupThe U Bet FA Trophy, formerly known as the Rothman's Trophy, is a football competition that takes place in Malta.Widely known as the F.A. Trophy, it was a gift from the British by The Football Association in 1933. This followed a match between England and Italy, played in Rome in May 1933, to where...
: 1993–94 - Indonesian League: 1999–2000 (as coach)
Individual
- Portuguese League: Topscorer 1988–89 (16 goals)
- Indonesian League: Topscorer 1995–96