An early goal and 2-0 first leg advantage were not enough for APOEL to secure their spot in the last eight of the national football cup, as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to AEL at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia on Wednesday afternoon.
“Based on how we played we should not have conceded three goals. This season whenever we need to make one step forward, we take two steps back,” APOEL’s coach Ivan Jovanovic said, visibly disappointed with his team’s elimination.
Aldo Adorno opened the proceedings only two minutes into the match, but Patrick Vouho levelled the score 10 minutes later from the penalty spot, after Michael Klukowski brought down Luciano Bebe.
“Obviously our fans are frustrated with the result as they are not used to these kinds of results. These are difficult days for our club; I take responsibility for our bad form,” Jovanovic said.
“The players gave everything they had in my opinion, and I have no complaints about their effort.
“We need to respond properly to this situation and do everything we can to improve until the end of the championship.”
Jorge Monteiro made it 2-1 for the visitors five minutes before the interval, with a long-range effort that beat Dionisis Chiotis off the post. Chiotis was then unlucky when, in the 64th minute, Vouho made it 3-1 for AEL, as his shot hit the post and then hit the nets off the goalkeeper’s back.
However, the Ivory Coast international did not have much time to celebrate as he was shown his second yellow card of the match four minutes later, after an unnecessary foul on Gustavo Manduca in the middle of the pitch.
AEL coach Jorge Costa was nonetheless delighted with his team’s unlikely feat, saying: “I am very proud of my players.
“We had a difficult task since we had lost at home. After the first leg I would say that the chances to advance were 75 per cent-25 per cent in their favour. We changed our game plan this time out and we did a really good job.”
After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Alki and Anorthosis played out another match with the identical result and the current league leaders needed Giannis Okkas’ extra time goal in order to progress.
“It’s important that we achieved our goal and advanced in the cup against a very difficult opponent,” said Anorthosis coach Ronny Levy. “Now we will focus on the league match against Omonia.”
Elsewhere, Apollon defeated Nea Salamina 1-0 away from home, in their national cup Round of 16 first-leg encounter.
