Super-Sub Sardinero the hero for Apollon
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND (LEG 2)
An extra time goal from substitute Adrian Sardinero has sent Apollon Limassol into the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League with a dramatic 4:3 aggregate triumph over Shamrock Rovers.
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Having lost the first leg 1:2 on the road, Apollon needed a comeback at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia, and Emilio Zelaya and Atiila Szalai gave the Cypriots a 2:0 lead. However, Fotis Papoulis received a yellow card, and Shamrock sent the game into extra time. Apollon were made to be nervous, but in the extra 30 minutes, Sardinero struck gold to complete a dramatic comeback. The game took place in Nicosia because the Tsirion Stadium in Limassol does not match up to UEFA standards.
THE MATCH
Apollon levelled the aggregate early when a Joao Pedro corner found Emilio Zelaya, who directed the ball past Alan Mannus.
Not long later, Serge Gakpe bore down on goal, but Mannus came to the rescue and kept his side within one. Mannus then denied a good chance off the boot of Giannis Gianniotas. Nonetheless, Apollon took a 1:0 lead into the half time break, in a position to advance on away goals.
In the second half, Apollon sought to put themselves on even safer ground, and Attila Szalai delivered with a 64th minute goal having been subbed in only minutes earlier.
Then, everything turned when the Apollon captain, Fotis Papoulis, was sent off after an exchange with Sean Kavanagh.
Just two minutes later, Aaron Greene took advantage for the Irish side, beating Joel Mall with a low attempt to level the aggregate score.
A mere 120 seconds into extra time, the manpower advantage for Shamrock Rovers ended, as Lee Grace received his second yellow. With the playing field level again, Apollon got a breath of fresh air from one of their subs, as Adrian Sardinero found the back of the net to punch the Cypriots’ ticket to the third qualifying phase. Mall made two crucial late saves to inflict heartbreak on Shamrock.
LINE-UPS
Apollon(Sofronis Avgousti): 36. Joel Mall(GK), 10. Sasa Markovic, 11. Emilio Zelaya, 17. Joao Pedro, 18. Diego Aguirre, 20. Giannis Gianniotas(‘90 9. Ioannis Pittas), 25. Chambos Kyriakou(‘106 14. Facundo Pereyra), 26. Fotis Papoulis(Captain), 44. Hector Yuste, 87. Serge Gakpe(‘77 77. Adrian Sardinero), 95. Roger Tamba M’Pinda(‘58 41. Attila Szalai)
Shamrock Rovers(Stephen Bradley): 1. Alan Mannus(GK), 2. Ethan Boyle, 4. Roberto Lopes, 5. Lee Grace, 6. Greg Bolger(‘106 , 8. Ronan Finn(Captain)(‘86 9. Daniel Carr), 10. Aaron McEneff(‘75 16. Gary O’Neill), 11. Sean Kavanagh, 22. Aaron Greene, 28. Joey O’Brien(‘83 7. Dylan Watts), 29. Jack Byrne
HIGHLIGHTS: APOLLON LIMASSOL - SHAMROCK ROVERS
