Apollon and Apoel close in on Cyprus Cup final

The second legs of the Cyprus Cup semi-finals were rendered little more than a formality as Apollon trounced Anorthosis 6-0 while Apoel won 2-0 at Doxa Katokopias.

Holders Apollon steamrolled past hapless Anorthosis with an ease that even their most die-hard fans could not have dreamed of.

From the very first whistle Apollon poured forward creating massive problems for the visitors’ defence who were in total disarray.

The Limassol side opened the score through Maglica in the 13th minute. Sardinero doubled the advantage ten minutes before the break while two minutes later Vinicius powered in the third.

In the second half Apollon dropped down a gear but were still able to add three more goals against their demoralised opponents.

In the 53rd minute, Anorthosis’ Kalo upended Papoulis in the penalty area and the same player picked himself up to score the fourth while Makrides, returning after a lengthy injury, scored a fifth two minutes from time.

Apollon still had time for one more through Piech in the first minute minute of added time.

Despite another poor performance, Apoel all but booked their place in the final with a 2-0 away win over relegation-threatened Doxa.

Both managers rested key players in view of important league games ahead and it showed as neither side were able to find the telling blow in the final third of the pitch.

Apoel were fortunate to take the lead on the stroke of half-time through Barral who blasted the ball past Doxa goalkeeper Negri from close range.

Central defender Astiz headed home the second in the 62nd minute following a corner by Embezilio, making the return leg a chance for the Nicosia giants to give a run out to fringe players.

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.