Angola’s Primeiro Agosto Punished for Match-fixing, Fined $5000

Angolan Football Federation has handed a three-point deduction to Primerio de Agosto and Desportivo da Huila over alleged match-fixing during a Girobola Championship encounter played on Sunday, March 3 in the City of Lubango.

According to Portuguese publication, Claque Magazine, the league’s disciplinary committee confirmed the punishment on Friday after questioning a 3-3 draw between both sides.

It also fined Agosto and Despotivo $5,000 as it suspected a betting pattern which indicated that Mario Saorez’s coached outfit gave away two easy goals in the last eight minutes of the game.

Despotivo fans reacted furiously to their team’s display after the match, directing particular anger toward Manucho Dinis, who smashed a penalty high in dying minutes of the match.

Agosto said they had taken note of the decision “with great bitterness” and announced they would contest the ruling at the Angolan federation’s Court of Appeal.

The points deduction will not hurt Agosto, as it will still maintain a seven-point lead going into matchday 21 of the championship.

Da Huila dropped to the third position with 35 points, nine adrift of Agosto, who last season reached the CAF Champions League quarterfinals stage.

The disciplinary committee did not disclose details of its investigations.