Cyprus round-up: Alki stun champions

Hat-trick hero
Omonia's fans could scarcely believe what had hit them as Alki ran amok inside the GSP stadium in Nicosia. Ljubisa Kekic was undoubtedly the biggest thorn in Omonia's side as he took the home defence apart scoring three goals - all from defensive mistakes - and also striking a post early on in the match.

Omonia in tatters
It might have been different had Omonia's German striker Rainer Rauffmann converted a first-half penalty but his spot-kick was saved brilliantly by Alki goalkeeper Michalis Shimitras. From then on, it was all Alki and Kekic put the visitors in front after a clumsy error from Nicolas Georgiou allowed the gangly Yugoslavian to sneak in and fire the ball past Tassos Yiallouris. The same player made it 2-0 just before half-time. After yet another mistake, this time from Andreas Konstantinou, Kekic pounced on to the loose ball and slotted into the corner.

Stjepanovic on target
Alki's other Yugoslavian, Zoran Stjepanovic, made it 3-0 after Georgiou had been dispossessed by Kekic. The latter played an inch-perfect pass to Stjepanovic who stroked the ball into an empty net. Belgian substitute Gunter Thiebaut restored some hope for Omonia in the 55th minute but late goals from youngster Andreas Demetriou and Kekic once more put the game beyond Omonia and left Alki celebrating one of the greatest upsets in Cypriot football history.

Happy birthday
The Alki players later dedicated the win to coach Ilie Dumitrescu, who was celebrating his 33rd birthday. Alki, a modest club from Larnaca, were last year rated as the worst team in Europe but since the recruitment of the former Romanian international as head coach, Dumitrescu has begun to turn their fortunes round.