Visitors assert control in Luanda
Académica do Lobito lost 0-2 to 1st of May in the Girabola's third round on Saturday. The away side took all three points to move into sixth place, while their hosts remain rooted at the bottom with zero points from three matches. We had given Académica's chances at 38 per cent for victory, but the match took a different path entirely.The visitors arrived not to make up the numbers. They carried the side through the opening exchanges, winning 86 attacks to their hosts' 72. Académica picked up six yellow cards while 1st of May collected three. By then, it was clear who was in control of the tie.
The visitors kept knocking on the door until they found the net. First of May have one win, one draw and one defeat already, enough to put them in a comfortable position early on. Their opponents have lost all three matches so far, a pattern that has not changed.
Académica's recent record tells its own story. They drew 0-0 with Interclube in May, then lost 1-1 to Petro Luanda before falling 0-3 to Recreativo do Libolo. Their last two league games both ended 0-2 defeats, first to Petro de Luanda and then to Vilete. The run refused to go away.
1st of May's form offers more hope. They lost 1-2 to 1st of August in their most recent outing, but drew with Cabushcorp and Sagrada Esperança before that. Their defensive solidity has been their strength, with three clean sheets in five matches.
The visitors now sit six points clear of the drop zone. Académica have one foot in trouble already, though the season has barely begun. The gap between these sides looks wider than the table suggests.