By George Christou
APOEL will have Andreas Mouskallis, their new coach, on the bench tonight when they play their first league game of the season at the Makarios stadium against second-placed Apollonas.
Mouskallis, who was appointed on Monday immediately after the sacking of Austrian Kurt Jara, would have preferred his first game in charge to have been a bit easier.
Then again there will be less pressure on the new coach, as even Apoel’s demanding fans will realise that he needs time to introduce changes. He will need no familiarisation period as he knows everything he needs about Cyprus football.
After all Mouskallis has worked as coach for at least half the teams in first division. He left Aek at the end of last season, reportedly, hoping that he would land the job of national team coach. Before that he had been coach at Anorthosis, who sacked him just before the side won the league championship.
A socialist admirer of Fidel Castro, Mouskallis is a disciplinarian, who has demanded “seriousness and professionalism” in his first meeting with the players. His players will not be unaccustomed to the pressing, direct game, the coach makes his teams play.
For tonight’s crunch game, Apoel welcome back Croatian striker Adnan Kozniku who missed his side’s last two defeats through suspension. Another foreign player, Hertnagl is suspended.
Apollonas may have a full squad of players to choose from, but they are still lacking an accomplished goalscorer. The absence of such a player was made obvious last weekend, when Apollonas failed to convert half a dozen clear-cut chances and had to settle for a goalless draw against Ael.
The lack of a proven scorer raises questions about Apollonas’ title challenge, as there seems to be no-one to bail out the club when midfielders Spoliaric and Papavassiliou are not on target.
Apoel are capable of inflicting Apollonas’ second defeat of the season, but such an outcome would not be very good for the championship as it would extend Anorthosis’ lead – currently five points – at the top of the table.
Third-placed Omonia, who meet Apoel next weekend, travel to Limassol to meet an improving Ael. After a poor start that saw them lose two out of three, Omonia have recovered dramatically, winning five games in a row.
What is amazing is the way they have been winning. They have scored 24 goals in the last five games, conceding only one. Admittedly the wins were against weak sides, but they could not have been bad for confidence.
Ael showed last Sunday against Apollonas that they are coming to terms with the first division. Despite being outplayed in the first half, they did not give up and could have sneaked a winner after the interval. They could surprise Omonia.
League leaders Anorthosis look set to score their ninth win of the season against a Paralimni side still smarting from last weekend’s 5-1 drubbing by Aek.
It suffices to say that Anorthosis scored seven in their last game, and their attack, which is averaging more than four goals a game, should be far too strong for Paralimni’s slow defenders to keep at bay.
Add to this the fact that Paralimni have taken just one point from their three home games and the case for another big-scoring victory for Anorthosis becomes very strong indeed.
Ethnikos Achna, riding high in fifth position, travel to Paphos where they meet Apop who have lost their way after a very good start to the season.
With the league’s top scorer, Mousic, in top form, the Achna’s side’s efficient counter attacking game could be good enough for the three points.
Fourth-placed Aek, with their confidence restored after the victory over Paralimni and the Brazilian trio beginning to show their abilities, should score their second away victory at Salamina today. Salamina will be without four first team players, missing through suspension or injury.
The four clubs occupying the last four positions in the table will be in action on Sunday. Bottom club Alki are at home to 12th-placed Evagoras while 11th-placed Anagennisis travel to Nicosia to meet second from bottom Etnikos Ashias.
