Classy Cyprus end Bulgarian hopes
Saturday 10 October 2009
e-mail
Print
Digg
Save
Michalis Konstantinou (left) celebrates scoring against Bulgaria (©Getty Images)
Cyprus made some amends for a disappointing FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign by overwhelming Bulgaria 4-1, a defeat which ended the visitors' already slim play-off hopes.
Charalambides double
Konstantinos Charalambides scored twice with further goals coming from AC Omonia duo Michalis Konstantinou and Efstathios Aloneftis to move Cyprus within two points of their visitors in Group 8. Dimitar Berbatov had brought Bulgaria back into the contest, striking to make the score 2-1 on the stroke of half-time, but the hosts streaked clear again after the break to secure only their second victory of the campaign.
Cypriot opener
The final scoreline was in marked contrast to the opening stages, with Cyprus nearly conceding twice in the first ten minutes when Berbatov was denied by home goalkeeper Sofronis Avgousti and Blagoy Georgiev hit a post. However, Cyprus then stunned Bulgaria in the eleventh minute as a quick free-kick released Konstantinos Makrides, who then pulled the ball back for the unmarked Charalambides to finish from close range.
Costly miss
The lead was soon doubled by the same player when a mix-up in the Bulgarian defence allowed him to race on goal and easily beat Dimitar Ivankov. Berbatov halved the deficit with a cool finish and the visitors then passed up a golden opportunity to equalise when Georgiev again connected with the woodwork – a miss his side were made to rue when Konstantinou volleyed in just before the hour mark. With 12 minutes remaining, Charalambides sent in Aloneftis to make it four.
©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.
