By George Christou
OMONIA kept the pressure on the league leaders Anorthosis yesterday with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Paralimni which lifted them to second place, at least for a few hours.
Anorthosis were to play third-placed Apollonas last night in Limassol.
Apoel’s disappointing season continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Anagennisis, only a fine save in the dying seconds by Petrides denying the Dherynia club of the three points.
Ael scored their second away victory of the season, beating Salamina 3-1 and rising to seventh place in the table, their highest position since returning to the first division.
A goal scored in the first half settled the Paphos derby, lifting Evagoras, who beat Apop 1-0, out of the relegation zone for the first time since their promotion in the summer.
In Nicosia, Paralimni slumped to their fifth consecutive defeat, a run which has seen them slide down the table. They are now just outside the relegation zone, on 10 points, level with another three teams. Yesterday’s was their 10th defeat in 11 visits to Omonia.
Omonia had two goals disallowed, one for a foul and another for an offside, before taking the lead in the 33rd minute, through Ioachim who headed in a loose ball, after Rauffman’s header had been beaten out.
Three minutes into the second half, Paralimni keeper Christinakis saved a penalty kick by the league’s top scorer, Rauffman, but the German striker made amends towards the end. He slotted the ball under Christinakis’s body for his 14th goal of the season, after some good wing play by Malekkos.
For Apoel things are not looking good, although yesterday’s draw was an improvement on the result of last season’s corresponding fixture, which they lost 1-0.
The visitors took the lead against the run of play – Anagennisis had spurned four good chances until then – when Fasouliotis’ free-kick was flicked on by Ioannou and Croatian striker Kozniku was on hand to head the ball home for his 12th of the season.
Anagennisis drew level with a bizarre Nicolic free-kick, 25 minutes into the second half. The ball went under the defensive wall and also slipped under the body of keeper Petrides to finish in the net. Nicolic could have taken the glory in injury time when he burst through but saw his shot beaten away by Petrides.
Salamina looked completely in control against Ael at the interval. They dominated the game and led through a goal by youngster Louca. But five minutes into the second half Ael had drawn level when Neophytou fired home from inside the area.
A minute later, Agathocleous added a second for the visitors. Kovasevic had a chance to level just after the hour but he aimed his penalty-kick, awarded for a foul on Michic, at the legs of Ael keeper Christofi.
This miss was to prove costly. Two minutes later Neophytou scored his second of the afternoon to wrap up the three points that took Ael above Salamina in the table.
Evagoras’ all-important winner was scored by Knezevic, his first of the season, after a solo effort. His shot took a deflection from Apop’s Stephanou and ended in the net.
Today, Aek and Ethnikos, two sides with very impressive league records, meet in Larnaca. Fifth-placed Aek are unbeaten in their last 10 games, while fourth-placed Ethnikos are unbeaten in eight, seven of which they have won.
The two side have another thing in common – they are the only two sides that champions Anorthosis have failed to beat this season. Aek held them to a 1-1 draw in Larnaca, while Ethnikos defeated them 2-0 last Sunday.
In today’s other game, Alki travel to Nicosia to play bottom club Ethnikos Ashias, looking for their fourth consecutive victory that will lift them out of the relegation zone.
