By Andreas Vou
APOEL picked up a crucial 2-1 win over Asteras Tripolis on Thursday in the Europa League which puts them back in contention to reach the knockout phase of the competition.
Having lost their two previous group games, only a win would do for the Cypriot champions to keep any realistic hopes of making the next round alive, and goals from Fernando Cavenaghi and Carlao provided a valuable three points.
APOEL had struggled for goals at home in Europe having only found the net three times since September 2014, none of which were from open play. So it was a relief for the APOEL fans to see Fernando Cavenaghi, who has netted ten times in the Cypriot league in seven games, in the lineup after being left out of the previous two European matches.
Rather than Cavenaghi, however, it was his Argentine compatriots on the opposing side who would take the early plaudits. Facundo Bertoglio proved a threat in the early exchanges and his skill was too much to handle for Kostakis Artymatas as he maneuvered space to pick out his countryman Brian Lluy who calmly placed the ball beyond Boy Waterman to hand Asteras a shock early lead.
On 16 minutes, the game was brought to a halt as a number of lamps on the floodlights around the ground went out leading to a delay of 11 minutes.
The stoppage proved to be a turning point as APOEL began to gain a foothold on the game from thereon after. Giorgos Efrem brought APOEL’s best two efforts of the half, first with an inswinging free-kick which hit the top of the crossbar on 43 minutes followed by a long range drive moments later which stung the palms of Asteras keeper Theodoropoulos.
The breakthrough eventually came in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time from the penalty spot as Nuno Morais’ dinked ball into the box was stopped by the hand of Dimitrios Kourbelis. Cavenaghi stepped up and calmly slotted the ball home from 12 yards.
APOEL continued the second half from where they had left off in the first, on the front foot. A fabulous sweeping cross from Morais found Efrem who ghosted in behind the two centre-backs but could only guide his header straight at the keeper who tipped wide. Not all was lost, however, as Carlao headed the ball into the net from the resulting corner to put APOEL 2-1 ahead.
Asteras’ early menace was nowhere to be found in the second period and it was APOEL who looked the likelier of the two to grab the next goal. Cavenaghi was replaced by Mateusz Piatkowski just after the hour mark who was gifted a glorious chance to make an impact but the Polish forward was slow in getting the ball out of his feet when through on goal and the chance had passed.
The visitors failed to threaten late on and APOEL comfortably closed out the game to seal a crucial three points which puts them back in contention to qualify for the knockout phase.
APOEL are now two points behind Sparta Prague in second place after their impressive 2-2 draw at in the group’s other game. Asteras and APOEL will face each other again on 5 November on Matchday 4 of the Europa League.
