Cyprus’ call-ups for friendly against Montenegro
The Cypriot Football Association announced the 24- man roster for Cyprus’ international friendly against Montenegro on March 23rd at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia.
In all competitions, Cyprus have lost 5 straight matches, most recently a November friendly defeat away to Armenia in Yerevan. Their last win came back in August in a World Cup qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina where Cyprus came from two goals behind to win 3:2 at the GSP stadium.
Manager Ran Ben Shimon called up 24-players for the upcoming match against Montenegro, in a roster that features several new faces:
GOALKEEPERS: Tasos Kissas (Apollon), Urko Pardo (Alki Oroklini), Andreas Christodoulou (Omonoia)
DEFENDERS: Jason Demetriou (Southend United), Giorgos Merkis (APOEL), Dosa Junior (AEL Limassol), Kostas Laifis (Standard Liege), Marios Antoniadis (AEK Larnaca), Fanos Katelaris (Omonoia), Nikolas Ioannou (APOEL), Andreas Karo (Nea Salamina), Ioannis Kousoulos (Nea Salamina)
MIDFIELDERS: Kostakis Artymatas (Kerkyra), Charalambos Kyriakou (Estoril), Giorgos Economides (Anorthosis), Renato Margaca (Omonoia), Gerasimos Fylaktou (Pafos FC), Dimitris Fryxolias (Dumbarton), Anthony Georgiou (Tottenham Hotspur), Vasilis Papafotis (Doxa Katokopias)
FORWARDS: Dimitris Christofi (Omonoia), Pieros Sotiriou (Kobenhavn), Onisiforos Roushias (AEK Larnaca), Minas Antoniou (APOEL)
In goal, the 36-year old veteran, Antonis Georgallides, suffered a late injury and joined Kostas Panagi on the injured list. Georgallides was replaced with Apollon’s Tasos Kissas. He will be alongside the newly minted Cypriot Pardo, and the promising 20-year-old Christodoulou, who as a result, could make his international debut.
The defense mostly consists of familiar faces, with a new pair of Salamina defenders Karo and Kousoulos earning a call-up at the age of 21-years old.
Three potential debutants in the midfield include Froxylias, Papafotis, and perhaps most notably 21-year old, British-born Anthony Georgiou. The Spurs midfielder has chosen Cyprus over England and appeared in Tottenham’s Champions League win on Cypriot soil at APOEL, back in September.
Up front, the mainstay Christofi and the talented Sotiriou are joined by Roushias, who only has 3 international caps to his name. On the other hand, Minas Antoniou of APOEL will seek to make his international debut for the national team.
