Good start for AEK Larnaca, AEL Limassol record first win, Omonoia go two for two

After having their Week 1 match postponed, AEK Larnaca began their season with a 2:0 away win to Pafos FC. AEL Limassol won 2:0 at home to Enosis Neon Paralimni for their first win of the season. It was good news for Omonoia as they won for the second time in as many weeks, winning their home opener 2:0 over Nea Salamina.

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Pafos FC hosted AEK Larnaca at the Stelios Kyriakidis Stadium in Paphos, the home side won last week away to Nea Salamina. Pafos created some good early chances. First, they earned a corner that found Adam Nemec in space, but Truyols blocked the shot before it ever reached the goalkeeper. Abdisalam Ibrahim made a nifty headed pass to Nemec, who put his own header towards goal, but it sailed back across the face of goal and wide. Matija Sirok sent in a cross for Nemec, but Simranjit Thandi did well to impede Nemec’s path and play the ball to safety. Finally, AEK settled in and Matija Spoljaric had a shot from distance, but Artur Rudko parried it aside. On the ensuing corner, the Pafos defense turned the ball over to Truyols, but Rudko bailed his side out and made a big save. That concluded the first half with the score, 0:0.

In the second half, Truyols made another big defensive play, sliding out to block a shot off the boot of Kevin Berigaud, earning the appreciation of his side’s keeper Tono Ramirez. Apostolos Giannou looked to pay it off at the other end, but Rudko was in position to deny him.

The pivotal moment came soon after, as Giannou centered the ball which eventually made its way to Ivan Trickovski, whose shot was blocked in front by a sprawling Sirok, but it was ruled the ball struck his hand, replays appeared to show it actually struck his head. Sirok was also sent off for arguing. Nonetheless, Trickovski was given the chance to finish off his own play from the spot, and he did just that, sending Rukdo the wrong way, and his 61st minute penalty made it 1:0 for AEK.

AEK pretty much took over the match after that. A bad turnover to Trickovski led him in on goal, he laid off for Giannou, and Rudko made a fantastic save. Rudko came to the rescue again, clearing out an ill-advised back pass. The hosts finally came knocking in search of an equalizer and the ball found Luis Torres alone with Tono Ramirez, but the Spanish keeper came out on top with a brilliant save to keep his side ahead.

AEK locked up their win in stoppage time when Hector Hevel set up Giannou, who was then bodied off the ball by Jason Puncheon for another penalty. Trickovski took this one, as well, this time Rudko went the right way but the penalty was placed perfectly, and a pair of penalties by Trickovski were the difference, AEK win their first match of the season, 2:0 in Paphos.

AEL Limassol were at home to Enosis Neon Paralimni at the Tsirion Stadio in Limassol. AEL drew Anorthosis at home last week. Enosis lost last week at home to Pafos, this was their first away match. AEL earned a free kick, Gevorg Ghazaryan faked the shot, and Andreas Avraam had a go instead, but Boris Klaiman wasn’t fooled, and he made the save. Ghazaryan later had a shot blocked in front by Sito Riera, Avraam pounced on the loose ball, and Klaiman at full extension denied him. At the other end, Riera found Chigozie Udoji, but his header sailed over the net. The match remained scoreless at the half.

In the second half, Ivan Carlos fired off a shot that Udoji knocked down with his hand. It was a double whammy for Enosis, as not only was a penalty given for AEL, but Udoji was already on a yellow card, and he was charged a second yellow, and of course a red card followed, and he was sent off. Carlos was allowed to finish his own play, and he beat Klaiman from the spot to do so, the 50th-minute penalty made it 1:0 for AEL.

Enosis tried to answer, Nico Varela struck a free-kick, but it screamed off the crossbar and stayed out. Instead, AEL doubled their advantage on the hour mark, Christos Wheeler fed Avraam for a shot that he rifled past Klaiman at the near post. Klaiman was right there, but the powerful shot eluded him.

Mateusz Szczepaniak worked the ball to Hovhannes Hambardzumyan who set up Varela, but the finish was underpowered and stopped with relative ease by the AEL keeper Vozinha. AEL hung on for a 2:0 win, temporarily improving them to second place.

Omonoia hosted Nea Salamina at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. Omonoia won last week away to Doxa Katokopias, and this was their home opener. Salamina lost at home to Pafos last week, this was their first away game. The hosts were ready to go, Hen Ezra was released down the wing, but Robert Veselovsky was there to make the timely save. Omonoia broke in the 24th minute as Charis Mavrias passed to Eric Bautheac who with an incisive backheel fed it back to Mavrias who beat Veselovsky with a low finish, 1:0 for Omonoia.

An Omonoia corner compounded the damage, as Matt Derbyshire latched onto a header, and placed it into the top corner past Veselovsky. His second goal in as many weeks made it 2:0 for Omonoia in the 31st minute. Omonoia continued to press, but they mustered nothing else, and they took a 2:0 lead into the halftime break.

In the second half, Sasa Marjanovic had a free-kick from a good position, but Francis Uzoho was up to it, and made the save. Tonia Tisdell tried to surprise Uzoho from a bad angle, but Uzoho stood his ground and knocked it aside. Kingsley Onuegbu made a drop pass to Tisdell who unleashed a powerful shot, but once again Uzoho was there to make the save. Bautheac sought to put an exclamation point on the proceedings with a shot from in tight, but goalkeepers are a proud people, and Veselovsky made the save on the stoppage time attempt. Nonetheless, Omonoia hung on for a 2:0 win, and continue their good start under Henning Berg.

by Andreas Mantzas

Image Source: Sport FM Cyprus

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