Cyprus round-up: AEL overpower Omonia

AEL Limassol FC kept their title ambitions on track with a convincing 2-0 victory against Omonia FC on Saturday.

Omonia bow to AEL
Fellow title contenders Omonia were no match for AEL and were already on the rack before Alexis Garpozis headed Vladan Tomic's teasing cross past Tassos Yiallouris after 39 minutes. Omonia did their best to stem the flow and it was not until added time in the second half that Hungarian striker Josef Sebok marked his return from a three-month lay-off with the second goal.

Title contenders struggle
In the other games, league leaders APOEL Nicosia FC needed a second-half surge to sink bottom side Ermis Aradippos FC in Nicosia. Goals from new signing Stavros Georgiou, Demetris Daskalakis and a late penalty from Greek striker Elias Solakis ensured the Nicosia club stayed top of the league with a 3-0 win.

Michalski saves Anorthosis
Anorthosis Famagusta FC defeated Cypriot Cup semi-finalists Ethnikos Achnas FC 1-0 at the Antonis Papadopoulos stadium in Larnaca. Polish midfield player Radoslaw Michalski's curling strike on 28 minutes was enough to separate the sides.

Nine-goal thriller
Apollon Limassol FC's unbeaten run in the second phase of the championship came to a halt in Nicosia as relegation-haunted Ethnikos Ashias FC inflicted a heavy 6-3 defeat on the Cypriot Cup holders. Ashias always looked the better side and goals from Kostas Makrides (2), Koullis Pavlides (2), Konstantinos Charpas and Sinisa Jovanovic made Apollon's goals - scored by Milenko Spoljaric, Viktor Zubarev and Georgi Shengelia - mere consolations.

Record win
There were also plenty of goals at the Pafiakos stadium as home side AEP Paphos FC recorded the biggest win in their short history with a 6-0 thrashing of relegated Doxa Katokopia FC. Meanwhile, Enosis Neon Paralimni FC coach Nicos Andronicou rested six first-team players in his side's 1-1 draw with Alki FC in preparation for the Cypriot Cup semi-finals next week.