Cyprus round-up: APOEL take the spoils

APOEL Nicosia FC won 3-2 at Enosis Neon Paralimni FC on Saturday in a Division A match where play was not helped by the fierce winds that buffeted the Municipal stadium.

Great strikes
With the wind favouring APOEL in the first half, the league leaders went into a 2-0 lead through spectacular long-range efforts from Cypriot internationals Constantinos Charalambides and Demetris Daskalakis. Sinisa Gogic got in behind the Enosis defense to make it three just before half-time.

Morfis on hand
The second half saw a reversal in fortune as Enosis pounded the APOEL goal and could have scored but from some spectacular saves from goalkeeper Michalis Morfis. APOEL defended in numbers and held on until injury time when Enosis managed to grab two goals though Antonis Zembashis and Costas Elias.

Omonia move higher
Omonia FC continued their improvement under new coach Andreas Mouskallis with a hard-fought victory over Olympiakos Nicosia FC in the Nicosia derby. Rainer Rauffmann’s eighth-minute strike was enough to give the champions victory against an Olympiakos side who were in control for most of the match.

Tennes in the dugout
Olympiakos, who had their own new coach, Pambis Tennes, in the dugout for the first time, looked the stronger side, but exceptional defending from Omonia's Petros Konnafis and Andreas Constantinou proved crucial as they kept the ever-lurking Jozef Kozlej and Sava Radosavljev at bay.

AEK beaten
AEK Larnaca FC suffered their first home defeat of the season against Apollon Limassol FC with another new coach, Toni Savevski, gaining his first win with the Limassol club. Philipos Philipou’s header from Georgos Iosiphides’ curling corner set Apollon on their way in the 20th minute with Viktor Zubarev adding Apollon’s second, minutes after half-time.

Captain scores
Apollon captain Pambos Pittas made it 3-0 in the 65th minute with a fierce free-kick before Marios Demetriou netted an injury-time consolation for a shell-shocked AEK side.

AEP given scare
AEP Paphos FC were given a scare at home by the division's bottom club, Ermis Aradippos FC, after scraping 4-3 past this year’s relegation favourites. Christos Christodoulou, who was signed just a few weeks ago from Apollon, put AEP in front on 12 minutes with a good header deep in the Ermis area and Andros Stephanou doubled his side’s lead from the penalty spot following a foul on Savvas Zoetsas.

Ermis fight back
Ermis put on their best performance this season so far in the second half as they stretched the AEP defence and eventually got a deserved equalizer in the 61st minute through Costas Loizou’s first-time volley. AEP were quick to respond to Loizou’s goal as Argyris Petrou headed in Joel Luphahla’s cross, but Ermis still came back and grabbed another as Adamos Adamou took advantage of some dreadful marking to slot the ball decisively past goalkeeper Christos Panagiotou.

Nervous ending
Yiannakis Pachtalias made it 4-2 to AEP from the penalty spot in the 90th minute but AEP had to hang on for three nervous minutes of time added on as Ermis scored again through Costandinos Theodorou deep into injury time.

AEL stay in touch
AEL Limassol FC stayed in touch with the championship race with a convincing 2-0 win over Alki FC. Two second half goals from Chrysis Michael and Tommis Chrysostomou were enough to hand the Limassol club the priceless three points that keeps them within breathing space of the league leaders APOEL.