Hard luck loss for Cyprus at home to Scotland
 

UEFA EURO 2020 QUALIFYING - GROUP I (MATCHDAY 9)

Cyprus probably deserved better, but they found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline at home to Scotland in EURO 2020 qualifying action.

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Shortly after Cyprus should have been awarded an early goal (based on the replay), Ryan Christie put Scotland in front in the 12th minute. Giorgos Efraim, however, produced a stunning equalizer early in the second half, but John McGinn restored the visitors’ lead in the 53rd minute.

Scotland hung onto their narrow victory through the final whistle to register their fourth win of the campaign and leapfrog Cyprus to take over third place in Group I. Cyprus, who have 10 points from nine matches, will finish out their UEFA Euro 2020 campaign on Tuesday in Brussels as they visit Belgium.

THE MATCH

Cyprus hosted Scotland at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia in Saturday’s UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying action. Early on, Giorgos Efraim unleashed a powerful strike that hit the bottom of the crossbar, and appeared to have touched down over the goal-line before bouncing out. With no goal-line technology available, it was ruled that the ball hit the goal-line, but did not completely cross it, and therefore no goal was given.

Instead, the Scots struck first through Ryan Christie in the 12th minute. Christie curled a strike, using Ioannis Kousoulos as a screen, and Urko Pardo couldn’t come up with it, making it 1-0 for Scotland.

Cyprus looked to respond, however, as Pieros Sotiriou took a shot through traffic that David Marshall picked up at the last second and knocked aside. Christie tried again from roughly the same spot for his second goal of the match, but this time Pardo made the save. Then, a Scottish corner found its way to Scott McKenna, who was open, but in the end it was a routine save for Pardo. Despite the early controversy and the fact that they carried the play, Cyprus found themselves trailing Scotland 1-0 at the halftime break.

Cyprus wasted little time levelling the match. Just two minutes into the second half, Grigoris Kastanos who was a late addition to the squad and a substitute as well, took a free kick which went off the wall, and that’s when Efraim volleyed it first time and past Marshall. This time there was no doubt about it, and the score was level at 1-1.

However, Scotland regained the lead just six minutes later. Greg Taylor made a pass across that found John McGinn. McGinn’s shot lacked power but still eluded Pardo, and Scotland went up 2-1 in the 53rd minute.

Cyprus once again found themselves trying to catch up, and nearly did so when Jason Demetriou played in a cross for Ioannis Kosti. Kosti dove in for a powerful header but he could only hit the side of the net. Matija Spoljaric entered the match and tested Marshall, but Marshall saw it all the way.

Ran Ben Shimon used his last change to have Dimitris Theodorou make his international debut, and Demetriou found him with a through ball, but Theodorou could only hit the side of the net. In stoppage time, Sotiriou laid off for Fotis Papoulis who with space and time skied it over the net. Kastanos had a free kick from a good position late on, but he also hit it way too high.

Cyprus just ran out of time, and Scotland earned the 2-1 decision.

LINEUPS

Cyprus (Ran Ben Shimon): 1. Urko Pardo (GK), 2. Andreas Karo (‘42 20. Grigoris Kastanos), 3. Nikolas Ioannou, 4. Giorgos Merkis(Captain), 6. Jason Demetriou, 7. Giorgos Efraim (‘74 16. Matija Spoljaric), 8. Chambos Kyriakou (‘77 5. Dimitris Theodorou), 10. Pieros Sotiriou, 13. Ioannis Kousoulos, 15. Fotis Papoulis, 17. Ioannis Kosti

Scotland (Steve Clarke): 1. David Marshall (GK), 2. Liam Palmer, 3. Greg Taylor, 4. Ryan Jack, 5. Declan Gallagher, 6. Scott McKenna, 7. James Forrest (‘72 17. Oliver Burke), 8. John McGinn, 9. Steven Naismith (Captain) (‘62 20. Oliver McBurnie), 10. Callum McGregor, 11. Ryan Christie (‘90 15. Michael Devlin)

HIGHLIGHTS

by Andreas Mantzas

Image Source: sportfm.gr

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