APOEL title goal still on course
By John Leonidou
Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
Nov 23 2004
CYPRIOT champions APOEL kept their title campaign on course with
a valuable 1-1 draw away to title rivals Anorthosis Famagusta in
a thrilling encounter which saw both sides come close to snatching
dramatic victories.
Anorthosis started the better side in the first keeping a tentative
APOEL side on the back foot and after David Chaladze and Timuri
Ketsbaia went close, the hosts were finally awarded for their efforts
when Georgian star Georgi Kinkladze flicked Savvas Poursaitides cross
past a hapless Michalis Morfis on the half hour mark.
APOEL’s response was quick and rather against the run of play with
Marios Neophytou, a former player of Anorthosis, saw his free kick
skim off the back of Loucas Louca and wrong foot Antonis Georgallides
before curling into the top left hand corner for the equalizer ten
minutes later.
If some argued that APOEL were fortunate in the a one-side first
half, there was no denying the champion’s dominance in the second
as both Georgos Vakouftsis and Demetris Daskalakis saw their efforts
cannon off the Anorthosis woodwork with APOEL controlling the play.
Anorthosis for their part could have pinched the winner but for poor
finishing from Greek striker Nicos Froussos who saw his header denied
by Morfis before missing a wonderful chance on 82 minutes with his
strike that curled narrowly wide with Ketsbaia unmarked to prod the
ball home.
Anorthosis keeper Georgallides believed any side could have bagged all
the points on the night, “It was a 50-50 game, a game of two halves
with Anorthosis controlling the first half and APOEL the second.”
Omonia got back to winning ways after a sluggish start to the season
with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Angel Kolev’s surprise side
this season Alki Larnaca. Captain Costas Kaiafas put Omonia on the
way with a sweet volley before Slovakian international Josef Kozlej
wrapped up the three points for his side with two second half goal,
one of them a penalty.
Olympiakos Nicosia’s recovery looked perkier as they ousted a 1-0
victory away to Dighenis Morphou with Armenian international Romik
Kachadryan scoring the only goal with a powerful free-kick whilst
Ethnikos Achnas fell deeper into relegation trouble with 3-2 home
defeat to AEP Paphos, a result which prompted the sacking of Coach
Slobodan Vucekovic. Vucekovic charismatically told a press conference
afterwards, “Vucekovic has been in Cyprus for 11 years, and he is still
here” when asked about his future in Cypriot football by reporters.
This year’s other surprise team Nea Salamina kept their winning ways
intact with a hard-earned 3-2 victory away to rock bottom side Aris
Limassol with Turkish-Cypriot striker Arif Ursuloi scoring the winner
In the other games, AEL Limassol fought back from two goals at home
to scrape a 2-2 draw against Enosis Neon Paralimniou and AEK Larnaca
and Apollon Limassol fought out at a dull 0-0 draw at the GSZ stadium
in Larnaca.