Anorthosis and Apollon win, AEL Limassol held to a draw
 

CYPRIOT FIRST DIVISION - MATCHDAY 10

Anorthosis kept up the pace with Omonoia, retaining their share of first place with a 2-1 win at home to Ethnikos Achnas. AEL Limassol were held to a scoreless draw by Olympiakos Nicosia while Apollon won 1-0 away to Doxa Katokopias.. 

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Anorthosis hosted Ethnikos Achnas at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca. Early on, Yevhen Selin set up a chance for Nikos Kaltsas, Martin Bogatinov had more trouble with it than he should have, but he made the save.

The breakthrough wasn’t far behind, however. In the 22nd minute, Nika Kacharava’s through ball found Ruben Rayos, and the Anorthosis Captain dribbled around Bogatinov and calmly deposited the ball in the net, making it 1-0 for the home side.

Things went from bad to worse for Ethnikos. Bogatinov contested a ball with Tornike Okriashvili, but instead of the ball, he got his boots tied up with the Georgian and a penalty was awarded. Rayos stepped up to take it, and Bogatinov didn’t even bother diving as the penalty made it 2-0 for Anorthosis four minutes later. They took this 2-0 advantage into half-time.

Anorthosis continued to have their way with Ethnikos in the second half, but they couldn’t add to their lead despite coming close multiple times, including Okriashvili hitting the inside of the post not once, but twice. In the 88th minute, against the run of play, Ethnikos got on the board as Christoforos Christofi took a sneaky shot that surprised Giorgi Loria at the near post. Despite the late goal, Anorthosis cruised to a 2-1 win at home and are now once again tied in first place with Omonoia with a game in hand. Ethnikos fall into eighth place.

AEL Limassol hosted Olympiakos Nicosia at the Tsirion Stadio in Limassol. Dylan Duventru set up a chance for Bilal Hamdi that Vozinha parried aside. At the other end, Minas Antoniou set up Andreas Avraam in a similar way, and Pavol Bajza had a save of his own ready. Bajza then almost got himself in trouble with a bad turnover to Giannis Gerolemou, but the Slovakian keeper got away with it as Gerolemou skied it over the net. Panayiotis Zachariou found Jonathan Ayite in space, and he lobbed it over Vozinha, but Nils Teixeira came to the rescue with a timely block. Neither side found the net in the first half.

Neither side found the net in the second half either. In stoppage time, Paris Psaltis misplayed the ball and sent Ruben Jurado in on goal, but Bajza bailed his defender out with a clutch save, and the match ended as it began, 0-0.

This draw doesn’t harm AEL in the standings as they remain in fifth place while Olympiakos also stay put in 10th place, but they move a point close to safety, now three points clear of the drop zone.

In the Monday game, Doxa Katokopias hosted Apollon at the Makario Stadio in Nicosia. Apollon pounced on their hosts quickly. On a 10th minute corner, the ball eventually made its way to Facundo Pereyra who beat a surprised Armin Gremsl to make it 1-0 for Apollon. There were good chances at both ends thereafter, but none on target, and the score remained 1-0 in favor of Apollon at the halftime break.

Doxa looked for the equalizer in the second half and they came close as Vasilis Papafotis unloaded a strike that screamed off the bar. Chambos Kyriakou looked for the insurance marker, Gremsl made the routine stop, but he made a mess of the rebound and needed to make an additional save on Emilio Nsue. Gremsl looked a little more sure handed when he denied a chance off the boot of Ioannis Pittas. Ze Valente set up a chance for Papafotis. This time his shot was on target, but Joel Mall was in perfect position to gather it and make the save. Vladimir Boljevic crossed in for Benjamin Asamoah but that shot was blocked in front before it ever made it to Mall.

Apollon hung on for a 1-0 win away to Doxa Katokopias. It wasn’t the prettiest of wins, but Apollon move into the top-six in position for a playoff spot for the first time all season. Doxa remain in 12th and last place and now five points behind the safety of 10th place.

by Andreas Mantzas

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