BERLIN - Angola tested one of its World Cup group's favorites before falling 1-0 to Portugal. Now the Black Antelopes run into the other highly ranked team in their sector, Mexico.

The Angolans, in their first World Cup, won't be intimidated. Indeed, they were buoyed by their close defeat against the Portuguese.

"In every game, during the first 10 minutes there is always one team that is the favorite and the other team will end up going through what we did against Portugal," Angola captain Fabrice Akwa said. "I believe in the game against Mexico, we will go onto the field with more concentration for this not to happen."

The game Friday in Hanover follows Argentina's afternoon match against Serbia-Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen, and the Netherlands-Ivory Coast game in Stuttgart.

The Angolans are ranked 57th by FIFA, ahead of only Togo among the 32 World Cup teams. They are the only newcomers in Group D, which also has Iran.

"Portugal, Mexico and Iran have already been at the World Cup for a long time," defender Jamba said. "We're doing everything to see if we can at least win one game."

The Mexicans are looking far beyond one win. After their 3-1 victory against Iran, they're thinking about clinching a spot in the second round with a victory over Angola.

Four years ago, Mexico advanced from the group stage, then lost 2-0 to the United States.

Leading scorer Jared Borgetti will be out with a thigh muscle injury. But there's enough firepower with Omar Bravo, Guillermo Franco and Francisco Fonseca, also known as Kikin.

"Borgetti is our forward with the most goals. We lose him, we lose a lot of potential," defender Gonzalo Pineda said. "But Kikin, Franco, Bravo ¡ª those are great players who are waiting for an opportunity and they can do it very well."

Mexico scored twice in the final 20 minutes against Iran with Borgetti on the sideline. Kikin assisted on the clinching goal by Antonio Naelson, the Brazilian-born midfielder better known as Zinha.

"Ricardo decides, I'm telling you," Fonseca said of coach Ricardo Lavolpe's decision on the lineup. "But I'm happy with my World Cup debut, and I'm happy my team won. It was just coincidence that I was on the field for those two goals."

Argentina got two goals in its opening win against Ivory Coast as Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola scored. Argentine players have been restrained despite the solid opening win. Four years ago, Argentina also opened with a victory over an African team, then picked up only one point in its final two games.

"All we can think of is the Serbia game, and not a step beyond that," said defender Roberto Ayala, one of four returning from the 2002 squad that went home in humiliation after three matches. "We have to just think about getting three points and respect that this is a tough opponent."

And a desperate one. But also an undermanned one.

Central defender Nemanja Vidic, probably Serbia-Montenegro's best player, is out of the tournament with a knee injury. Coach Ilija Petkovic and his players have feuded over tactics.

"Our bags are not packed yet; we plan to stay at the World Cup," assistant coach Goran Stevanovic said. "We have a tradition of creating problems, but we are known for being strongest when we are pushed against the wall."

Also against the wall is Ivory Coast. After a good but unsuccessful showing against Argentina, the challenge Friday is just as formidable.

"The most important thing is to learn our lessons from the last game. The next game against the Netherlands is the most important game for us now and we have to win," striker Bakari Kone said. "We need three points."

To get them, the Ivorians probably need to open up things. But that also can play right into the strengths of the Dutch, particularly Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben, the goal scorer for the Netherlands in their opener.

Manchester United's Van Nistelrooy was the only one on the forward line who has been struggling.

"It didn't keep me from sleeping," Van Nistelrooy said. "I continue the way I always do and we prepare ourselves for another good performance on Friday."