Chailis wins cup for Anorthosis

Anorthosis Famagusta FC claimed the Cypriot Cup for the eighth time in their history with a hard-fought 1-0 win over first-time finalists Ethnikos Achnas FC at the GSP stadium in Nicosia.

Super sub
Second-half substitute Kyriakos Chailis scored the game's only goal six minutes from time, heading Radoslaw Michalski's well-timed cross past Achnas's outstanding Yugoslavian goalkeeper Aleksandar Kocic.  It was a sweet moment for a player who has spent most of the season on the sidelines due to injury.

Penalty miss
Anorthosis should have gone ahead shortly after the half-hour when Wojciech Kowalczyk, Cyprus's leading scorer, shot wide from the penalty spot. The penalty followed a foul on Christos Velis by Christakis Foullis, but Kowalczyk wasted the opportunity when he fired wide of Kocic's right-hand post.

Kocic saves Achnas
It was not the only chance for Anorthosis in a first half where they stretched the Achnas defence and Kocic was forced into spectacular saves to deny Panicos Xiourroupas, Velis and Kowalczyk.

UEFA Cup place
Achnas improved in the second half and missed a glorious chance when Christos Poyiatzis's powerful header went inches wide of Nicos Panagiotou's goal. There was no coming back from Chailis's strike, however, and Anorthosis will join now AEL Limassol FC in UEFA Cup football next season.

European places
As for Cyprus's other European representatives, APOEL Nicosia FC will enter the UEFA Champions League qualifiers and Enosis Neon Paralimni FC the UEFA Intertoto Cup.