Anchored by goalkeeper Joao Ricardo and defender Jamba, World Cup newcomer Angola frustrated heavily favored Mexico and hung on for a 0-0 draw Friday night.

Ricardo made several dramatic saves, and the chances he flubbed somebody ¡ª usually Jamba ¡ª came to clear from danger.

Five days after losing 1-0 to former colonial ruler Portugal, the Black Antelopes withstood an early surge from Mexico, displayed a bit of offensive initiative and then managed to overcome playing a man down for the final 11 minutes.

"It's a great challenge to play Mexico," Angola coach Luis Oliviera Goncalves said. "They're a very difficult team, but we developed a strategy that allowed us not to suffer goals and to try to score ourselves."

The result left Mexico, who beat Iran 3-1 in their opener, atop Group D with four points and one game remaining, against Portugal. The Portuguese face Iran on Saturday. The Angolans have only Iran remaining.

Ricardo was forced into theatrics, particularly in the second half.

He raced off his line in the 57th minute and leapt to thwart Guillermo Franco's attempt to chip over him from just inside the penalty area. Second-half substitute Jesus Arellano put the rebound back on goal, but Jamba cleared the ball off the line.

"Those are situations of the game," Ricardo said. "Sometimes the goalkeeper needs help, in this case it was Jamba who came in, and that's a good thing."

Ricardo preserved the shutout in the 88th minute, diving to his right to push Rafael Marquez's 35-yard strike around the post.

"That's football," Mexico midfielder Gerardo Torrado said. "Sometimes luck just doesn't go our way."

Without injured striker Jared Borgetti, who tore a muscle in his left thigh against Iran, Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe used Brazilian-born midfielder Zinha, also known as Antonio Naelsen, as a replacement.

With the overwhelming support from the crowd of 43,000, whose singing drowned out the recorded music during the playing of the Mexican national anthem, El Tri dominated the first 20 minutes.

With Carlos Salcido's shot from 30 yards in the opening minute that landed in the top netting, and Marquez's free kick from 35 yards that deflected off the wall and onto the right post, Angola was forced to foul to stem Mexico's advances.

But Angola settled down, began to gain some possession and was able to push forward, blunting Mexico.

"It wasn't a surprise," Angola striker and captain Fabrice Akwa said. "Before the game, the coach asked us for a victory. He told us everything was possible against Mexico.

"I think taking into account the fact we ended up with 10 players, we managed a good result."

While elating Angolans, Ricardo also made them anxious. He twice dropped balls in the first half, including one on Marquez's cross that Jamba had to clear.

Lavolpe, seen waving his arms in frustration, abandoned his two-forward strategy in the 53rd, sending in Jesus Arellano for Zinha as a third striker.

El Tri continued to create chances, but Ricardo was Mexico's equal.

Angola still was able to push the ball into Mexico's end, but when Andre was ejected with his second yellow card for a handball in the 79th, Angola retreated into its own half to withstand the final minutes.

Initially thrilled with its victory over Iran, Mexico now has to regroup and brace for Portugal.

"Mexico had full control of the game," Lavolpe said, "but when the ball does not want to enter the goal, when one lacks definition, games end 0-0."