Apollon edge closer to the top

The title race in Cyprus was thrown wide open on Monday night following Apollon’s 2-0 win over leaders Apoel that reduced the gap between the top two teams to just three points, with 11 games still remaining until the end of the season.

From the first whistle Apollon showed that they were the team hungrier for the win but were unable to create any clear-cut chances against a well-drilled Apoel defence.
Three minutes from the break though Anton Maglica managed to break the deadlock with a shot from just inside the penalty area, somehow wrong-footing Apoel keeper Boy Waterman.

In the second half Apoel upped the tempo and pushed forward in search of the equaliser but Kanas’ header came off the crossbar and then Apollon defenders twice hacked the ball to safety just before it crossed the line.

In the dying seconds of the game the Limassol team managed to double the score as Pedro raced through on goal and lofted the ball over the oncoming Waterman.

AEK also moved closer to the top after their hard-earned 3-2 win against Ermis Aradippou, while fourth-placed AEL suffered their second consecutive loss, this time 4-1 against Omonia.

Anorthosis secured sixth spot after defeating Karmiotissa 4-1 with Spanish striker Rayo getting a couple.

At the wrong end of the table, Anagennisi Dheryneias and AEZ Zakakiou head back to the second division after playing out a goalless draw, while Doxa’s chances of first division survival received a boost after defeating the team just above them, Aris 3-1 and now trail the team from Limassol by just four points.

Apollon vs Apoel 2-0
Omonia vs AEL 4-1
Karmiotissa vs Anorthosis 1-4
Anagennisi Dheryneias vs AEZ 0-0
Ermis vs AEK 2-3
Doxa vs Aris 3-1

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.