# 2018 Girabola

The 2018 Girabola was the 40th season of top-tier football in Angola. The season ran from 10 February to 2 September 2018.
The league comprised 16 teams, the bottom three of which were relegated to the 2019 Provincial stages.
Primeiro de Agosto won their third title in a row, qualifying to the 2018–19 CAF Champions League.
On an exceptional basis, on account of the Angola Cup not being contested this season, Petro de Luanda, the runner up, qualified to the 2018–19 CAF Confederation Cup.

## Teams

A total of 16 teams contested the league, including 13 sides from the 2017 season and three promoted from the 2017 Segundona - Cuando Cubango FC, Domant FC and Sporting de Cabinda.
On the other hand, Progresso da Lunda Sul, ASA and Santa Rita de Cássia were the last three teams of the 2017 season and will play in their respective provincial leagues seeking qualification for the 2018 2nd division qualifiers. Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto were the defending champions from the 2017 season.

## Changes from 2017 season

Relegated: ASA, Progresso da Lunda Sul, Santa Rita de Cássia
Promoted: Cuando Cubango FC, Domant FC, Sporting de Cabinda

## J.G.M. withdrawal

In late April, J.G.M. submitted a withdrawal request to the Angolan Football Federation citing financial reasons. The request was granted. As a result, all points won in games against J.G.M. were withdrawn.

## FIFA penalties

In May, FIFA has instructed the Angolan Football Federation that Kabuscorp should forfeit 6 points as a result of being in default to their former star player Rivaldo. In a weekly report issued by the Angolan federation, it is further stated that the club may be banned from official competition in case the claimant files a new complaint.
In June, FIFA again ruled that Kabuscorp forfeits 6 points in the League for being in default with TP Mazembe in the 2014 deal with DRC midfielder Trésor Mputu.
In July, FIFA ruled that Progresso Associação do Sambizanga forfeits 6 points in the League for being in default with Ghanaian striker Raphael Kwaku Obeng.

### Stadiums and locations

| Team | Home city | Stadium | Capacity | 2017 season |
| Académica do Lobito | Lobito | Estádio do Buraco | 15,000 | 12th in Girabola |
| Bravos do Maquis | Luena | Estádio Mundunduleno | 4,300 | 11th in Girabola |
| Cuando Cubango FC | Menongue | Campo Municipal | 5,000 | 2nd in Segundona |
| Desportivo da Huíla | Lubango | Estádio do Ferroviário da Huíla | 25,000 | 9th in Girabola |
| Domant FC | Caxito | Estádio Municipal | 5,000 | 1st in Segundona |
| Interclube | Luanda | Estádio 22 de Junho | 7,000 | 6th in Girabola |
| J.G.M. | Huambo | Estádio dos Kurikutelas | 5,000 | 13th in Girabola |
| Kabuscorp | Luanda | Estádio dos Coqueiros | 12,000 | 4th in Girabola |
| Petro de Luanda | Luanda | Estádio 11 de Novembro | 50,000 | 2nd in Girabola |
| Primeiro de Agosto | Luanda | Estádio 11 de Novembro | 50,000 | Girabola Champions |
| Primeiro de Maio | Benguela | Estádio Edelfride Costa | 6,000 | 10th in Girabola |
| Progresso do Sambizanga | Luanda | Estádio dos Coqueiros | 12,000 | 7th in Girabola |
| Recreativo da Caála | Caála | Estádio Mártires da Canhala | 12,000 | 8th in Girabola |
| Recreativo do Libolo | Calulo | Estádio Municipal | 10,000 | 5th in Girabola |
| Sagrada Esperança | Dundo | Estádio Sagrada Esperança | 8,000 | 3rd in Girabola |
| Sporting de Cabinda | Cabinda | Estádio do Tafe | 9,000 | 3rd in Segundona |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Primeiro de Agosto (C) | 28 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 31 | 8 | +23 | 57 | Qualification for Champions League |
| 2 | Petro de Luanda | 28 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 38 | 15 | +23 | 54 | Qualification for Confederation Cup |
| 3 | Interclube | 28 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 42 | |
| 4 | Recreativo do Libolo | 28 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 28 | 26 | +2 | 40 | |
| 5 | Académica do Lobito | 28 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 21 | −2 | 38 | |
| 6 | Desportivo da Huíla | 28 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 36 | |
| 7 | Sagrada Esperança | 28 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 35 | |
| 8 | Bravos do Maquis | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 34 | |
| 9 | Kabuscorp | 28 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 42 | 38 | +4 | 32 | |
| 10 | Sporting de Cabinda | 28 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 32 | |
| 11 | Cuando Cubango FC | 28 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 28 | −10 | 31 | |
| 12 | Recreativo da Caála | 28 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 36 | −14 | 31 | |
| 13 | Progresso do Sambizanga | 28 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 26 | 23 | +3 | 30 | |
| 14 | Domant FC (R) | 28 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 24 | 38 | −14 | 25 | Relegation to Provincial stages |
| 15 | Primeiro de Maio (R) | 28 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 23 | 38 | −15 | 22 | Relegation to Provincial stages |
| 16 | J.G.M. (D) | 12 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 24 | −17 | 3 | Disqualified |
* ↑ Due to the fact that this season's cup was not held.
* ↑ Kabuscorp were deducted 12 points as a result of payment default.
* ↑ Progresso were deducted 6 points as a result of payment default.

## Results

| Home \ Away | ACA | BMQ | CCU | DHL | DOM | INT | KAB | PET | PRI | PRM | PRO | RCA | RLB | SAG | SCC |
| Académica do Lobito | — | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 |
| Bravos do Maquis | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Cuando Cubango FC | 2–0 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Desportivo da Huíla | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | — | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Domant FC | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Interclube | 0–0 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Kabuscorp | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| Petro de Luanda | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Primeiro de Agosto | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Primeiro de Maio | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 |
| Progresso do Sambizanga | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | — | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| Recreativo da Caála | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Recreativo do Libolo | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | — | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Sagrada Esperança | 1–0 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–1 |
| Sporting de Cabinda | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | — |
* ↑ Cuando Cubango was awarded a 3–0 win

### Positions by round

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 1º de Agosto | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Petro de Luanda | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Interclube | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Recreativo do Libolo | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Académica do Lobito | 13 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Desportivo da Huíla | 5 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Sagrada Esperança | 10 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Bravos do Maquis | 9 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 8 |
| Kabuscorp | 10 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Sporting de Cabinda | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| Cuando Cubango FC | 15 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Recreativo da Caála | 4 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| Progresso | 5 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 13 |
| Domant FC | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| 1º de Maio | 13 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
* Leader (2018–19 CAF Champions League)
* Runner-up (2018–19 CAF Confederation Cup)
* Relegation to 2019 Provincial stages

### Clubs season progress

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Académica Lobito | L | L | W | D | D | W | W | L | W | D | D | D | W | L | D | W | D | D | L | D | D | L | L | W | W | W | L | D |
| Bravos do Maquis | W | L | L | L | W | D | D | W | L | L | W | D | L | D | L | D | L | W | L | L | W | W | D | W | L | L | W | D |
| Cuando Cubango FC | L | W | L | L | L | W | W | D | D | L | L | L | W | L | D | W | D | L | D | D | L | D | L | W | L | W | W | L |
| Desportivo da Huíla | D | D | W | L | D | W | L | W | W | D | L | D | D | W | D | D | D | D | W | W | D | D | L | L | L | L | W | L |
| Domant FC | W | L | D | L | W | D | L | L | D | L | L | D | D | L | D | L | D | D | L | W | L | W | D | L | D | L | L | W |
| Interclube | D | W | W | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | D | L | L | W | D | L | L | W | D | W | W | D | D | W | L | L | L | L |
| Kabuscorp | L | W | W | L | W | L | L | W | W | W | D | W | W | L | W | D | W | L | L | W | D | D | L | W | L | W | L | D |
| Petro de Luanda | W | D | W | D | D | D | D | L | W | D | W | W | W | W | D | D | W | W | D | W | D | D | L | W | W | W | W | D |
| 1º de Agosto | D | L | W | D | W | D | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | D | D | D | D | D | W | D | D | W | W | W | D | W | D | W |
| 1º de Maio | L | D | W | D | L | L | D | L | W | W | D | D | L | L | D | D | L | D | L | L | D | D | L | L | L | L | L | W |
| Progresso | D | D | W | L | W | L | D | D | W | L | D | L | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | W | D | W | D | L | W | W | L |
| Recreativo da Caála | W | L | D | L | L | W | D | L | L | W | L | D | L | L | L | W | L | L | D | L | D | W | L | W | D | D | W | W |
| Recreativo do Libolo | W | L | W | L | W | L | D | D | D | D | D | W | L | D | D | W | L | L | L | W | D | D | D | W | W | W | L | W |
| Sagrada Esperança | L | D | L | W | W | L | W | D | W | L | D | L | L | L | D | D | W | W | D | D | D | L | W | W | D | L | D | D |
| Sporting de Cabinda | W | L | D | L | W | L | L | D | W | D | W | D | L | D | D | D | W | W | D | D | L | W | L | D | L | L | L | D |

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

    As of 2 September 2018
| Rank | Scorer | Club | Apps | GPG |
| 20 Goals ||||
| 1 | Azulão | Petro Atlético | 25(1) | 0.78 |
| 14 Goals ||||
| 2 | Magrão | Rec do Libolo | 13 | 1.07 |
| 10 Goals ||||
| 3 | Nelito | Kabuscorp | 22(5) | 0.40 |
| 4 | Careca | Bravos Maquis | 24(2) | 0.40 |
| 5 | Mano | Interclube | 27 | 0.37 |
| 9 Goals ||||
| 6 | Mabululu | Domant FC | 25 | 0.36 |
| 8 Goals ||||
| 7 | Yano | Progresso | 19(2) | 0.40 |
| 8 | Jacques | 1º de Agosto | 19(8) | 0.34 |
| 7 Goals ||||
| 9 | Calero | Kabuscorp | 8(12) | 0.50 |
| 10 | Ben Traoré | Sagrada | 18(2) | 0.36 |
| 11 | Pedro | Interclube | 18(7) | 0.32 |
| 12 | Lionel | Desportivo | 23(1) | 0.29 |

#### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Ref | Date |
| Nelito | Kabuscorp | Sporting Cabinda | 3-0 | | 16 February 2018 |
| Azulão | Petro Luanda | Sporting Cabinda | 3-1 | | 24 May 2018 |
* 2018 Girabola winner
* Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto 12th title
* Squad: Julião, Neblú, Tony Cabaça (GK) Bobo, Bonifácio, Dani, Guelor, Isaac, Natael, Paizo, Yisa (DF) Ary Papel, Buá, Geraldo, Gogoró, Macaia, Mário, Mingo Bile, Mongo, Nelson, Show (MF) Jacques, Fofó, Mabululu, Melono, Razaq, Vanilson (FW) Zoran Manojlović (Head Coach)
* Top Scorer
* Azulão