APOEL thrash Apollon in Ouzounidis return
 

CYPRIOT FIRST DIVISION - MATCHDAY 20

APOEL thrashed Apollon Limassol 4-1 in Marinos Ouzounidis’ first game in charge since returning to the Nicosia club.

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Marinos Ouzounidis was the APOEL manager from 2006-2008, which included a championship in 2007, and his return produced a 4-1 win for APOEL at home to Apollon at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. Tomas De Vincenti struck first for APOEL, although Apollon equalized through Esteban Sachetti, but APOEL pulled away late with a barrage of three goals, two by Musa Al-Taamari, and one by Linus Hallenius.

As a result, APOEL move into a tie for second place with Omonoia with one extra game played. Apollon remain in fourth place despite the loss.

THE MATCH

Early on, some confusion in the APOEL defense let Fotis Papoulis walk in on goal unimpeded, but the home side were let off when Papoulis shanked the attempt wide. At the other end, Andrija Pavlovic sent Milan Jevtovic on his way, but Joel Mall bailed his side out with a strong, aggressive save.

In the 31st minute, APOEL broke the ice. Mike Jensen played the ball wide for Antonio Jakolis. Jakolis’s cross found the head of an Apollon defender, but it still made its way to Jevtovic who had his shot redirected past Mall by Tomas De Vincenti. The APOEL Captain made it 1-0, which stood up as the halftime score.

De Vincenti wanted a second goal in the early in the second half via free kick, but Mall was able to parry it aside. De Vincenti again had a free kick, this time it never reached the Swiss keeper, as it was blocked off for a corner, which came to nothing.

In the 71st minute, Apollon had a plot twist in store, as Esteban Sachetti unfurled a strike that curled around Vid Belec and inside the far post. The highlight-reel goal made it 1-1 and reset the entire match.

Apollon smelled blood in the water and started to press, but they turned it over and Musa Al-Taamari was about to latch onto the through ball. Mall raced out of his box and and cut him off, but the Jordanian striker claimed Mall played the ball with his hand. If he did, he got away with it. From there, APOEL began to dominate, and Andre Vidigal set up what seemed to be a sure goal for Linus Hallenius, but Mall at full extension robbed him. Mall came up large again when he acrobatically denied another De Vincenti free kick.

However, APOEL finally broke down the door in the final minute of regulation time. Al-Taamari curled a shot that seemed to defy the laws of physics, a perfect trajectory strike that even Mall’s best effort would not save. APOEL pulled ahead 2-1 and they never looked back.

In stoppage time, they poured salt into an open wound for the visitors from Limassol. Hallenius let fly from outside the box and beat Mall with a low, powerful strike, and then Hallenius set up a chance for Al-Taamari that beat Mall through his legs. As strong a match Mall was having, that was one he would certainly like to have back. 

The late APOEL onslaught resulted in an emphatic 4-1 win for them over Apollon. Last year, Apollon would likely have won the title if not for their poor head-to-head record against APOEL, and their struggles with them continued on this night.

Image Source: SportFM Cyprus

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