Cyprus round-up: APOEL leave it late
Monday, September 2, 2002
Article summary
APOEL Nicosia FC had to rely on two late goals to beat Aris Limassol FC on Sunday.
Article body
Cypriot UEFA Cup contenders APOEL Nicosia FC had to rely on two goals in added time to claim three points away at Division A newcomers Aris Limassol FC on Sunday.
Petoussis-induced panic
When Cypriot international Marios Agathocleous put APOEL ahead in only the second minute of the game it looked as if Aris might struggle, but the Limasol-based side rallied to find an equaliser through Theodoulos Petoussis midway through the second half.
Late heartbreak
However, just when Aris looked to have stolen an unlikely point off the champions, substitute Stavros Georgiou produced a moment of skill to skip past two defenders before squeezing his shot past goalkeeper Sasa Komlenic and as Aris pushed forward in search of a second equaliser, Georgiou's fellow replacement Nektarios Alexandrou made it 3-1.
AEP battle
AEP Paphos FC battled back from 2-0 down to claim a point against hosts Apollon Limassol FC. Konstantinos Makrides put Apollon ahead with a low drive on 37 minutes and playmaker Milenko Spoljaric added the second two minutes later with a well-taken chip. But Sasa Jovanovic's goal gave AEP hope after the break before Yiannis Pachtalias fired a spectacular long-range effort to secure a point on 74 minutes.
Frantzeskos hat-trick
AEK Larnaca FC’s Greek midfield attacker Costas Frantzeskos grabbed a hat-trick and set up the other in his side's 4-1 win over Dighenis Morphou FC and Olympiakos Nicosia FC kept their 100 per cent league record intact with a 2-0 win over Alki FC thanks to late goals from Slovakian striker Jozsef Kozlej and Michalis Christophi.
Neophytou on target
Meanwhile, ten-man Anorthosis Famagusta FC bounced back from their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Luxembourg side CS Grevenmacher in the UEFA Cup to register a 1-0 victory away at Enosis Neon Paralimni FC. Marios Neophytou got the only goal of the game for Anorthosis, who had debutant Mariusz Piekarski sent off.
Salamis held
In the day's other game, Nea Salamis FC were held to a 1-1 draw by Ethnikos Achnas FC at the Ammohostos stadium. Krzysztof Klosinski got Salamis off the mark in the 66th minute but Achnas were on level terms nine minutes before the end after a poor back pass by Andreas Kittos was intercepted by Christos Poyiatzis, who squeezed the ball past Moldovan goalkeeper Evgeni Hmaruk to secure a point.
Worthy draw
Neutral venue
Frustration mounts
Quick response
