APOEL pip Anorthosis to Super Cup
Saturday, August 23, 2008
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APOEL FC won their 20th Cypriot Super Cup by defeating title-holders and UEFA Champions League group stage hopefuls Anorthosis Famagusta FC 1-0.
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APOEL FC won their 20th Cypriot Super Cup by defeating title-holders and UEFA Champions League hopefuls Anorthosis Famagusta FC 1-0 in Nicosia.
Midweek tests
Both sides have crucial European ties in midweek. Ivan Jovanović's APOEL visit Serbia's FK Crvena Zvezda in the UEFA Cup second qualifying round on Thursday, 24 hours after Temuri Ketsbaia's Anorthosis defend a 3-0 first-leg lead against Olympiacos CFP of Greece with a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage at stake. The only goal of this contest came after 23 minutes when Anorthosis keeper Zoltán Nagy failed to collect Altin Haxhi's cross, allowing Kamil Kosowski to head into an empty net.
Crossbar rattled
Anorthosis – for whom former Real Madrid CF midfielder Sávio made his debut – missed a late chance to equalise when captain Nikos Nikolaou's close-range effort was saved by Michalis Morfis. However, the best opportunity of the second half had gone to cup holders APOEL as Konstantinos Charalampidis's free-kick rattled the crossbar. Neither coach was willing to risk too much, though, with APOEL needing a win or a high-scoring draw in Belgrade to reach the UEFA Cup first round, and Anorthosis aiming to preserve their advantage in Athens.