Later, he moved to CD Cova da Piedade and then joined Sporting Clube de Portugal in 2000, first as a scout, and then as youth coach in 2001.
Pedro Soares Gonçalves led Angola's best-ever group stage performance in the AFCON by picking up 7 points and two wins, something the Palancas Negras have never done before.
Angola's brilliant performance was highlighted on BBC Africa with an article,[9] describing how the Angolans exceeded expectations and proved the critics wrong.
The following month, he led Angola to win the COSAFA Cup, the first in 20 years, also becoming the most successful coach in the history of the Palancas Negras, with 24 victories (the same as Oliveira Gonçalves).
[10] On September 5, 2024, Pedro Soares Gonçalves broke the record for most victories with Angola, now standing alone with the highest number of wins for the Palancas Negras, after defeating the Ghana national team 1-0.