DEFENDING champions Omonia’s bid to become the third successive Cypriot team to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League is off to a good start after a dominant 3-0 victory over FK Renova of FYR Macedonia in the second qualifying round first-leg at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia on Tuesday night.
Michalis Konstantinou opened the scoring with a penalty after only seven minutes and by the 28-minute mark, the visitors were two goals behind and down to ten men.
Brazilian defender Davidson Morais scored the second after beating Armend Elezi with a powerful strike, while Konstantinou added a third 17 minutes into the second half when he outjumped Muarem Bajrami to head in Leandro’s cross, making sure that FK Renova has a difficult task in order to turn the tie around next Tuesday in Skopje.
Omonia’s Greek midfielder Dimitrios Grammozis was pleased with his team’s victory: “We started the game well. We pressed a very good opponent for the first 15 minutes and deservedly took the lead. It helped us, of course, that they got a red card but regardless, we have shown seriousness and determination until the end.”
“Omonia’s aim was to record a victory without conceding a goal and we managed to do that,” explained the club’s press officer Theodoros Kafkarides after the match.
“Clearly we were the superior side throughout the game and now we are a step closer to advancing to the next round.
“Now our focus is on the return leg in Skopje.
“Despite the final score which really makes us satisfied, the performance is something that encourages us for the games to come,” he added.
Omonia coach Takis Lemonis said 3-0 is a good score but it is only the first part of the job which has been done.
He also admitted that some signs of fatigue were visible among his players towards the end of the game but claimed that this is normal for this stage of the season and that his team will be much better prepared in the coming weeks.
Commenting on the game, FK Renova’s coach Nedzat Sabani said: “Our chances were dealt a blow when conceding the first goal so early and, in my opinion, Omonia’s second goal was preceded with a foul.
“However, our opponents were dominant on the night and they deservedly celebrated at the end.”
