By Andreas Vou
We may be in the peak of summer but there is little time to relax for Apollon and Omonia as their Europa League qualification matches come thick and fast with second-round first leg ties on Thursday.
After comfortably seeing off the challenge of FC Saxan last week with a 4-0 aggregate win, Apollon host Lithuanian side Trakai at the Antonis Papadopoulos in Larnaca. Though it will be a sterner test than the previous round, the Limassol club are once again favourites to progress and will aim to put down a positive marker in the first-leg in front of their own supporters.
Trakai captain Deividas Cesnauskis was keen to warn his teammates that, after a comfortable 7-1 aggregate win over HB Tórshavn in the first round, his side will be facing a much tougher opponent in Apollon.
“We now face Apollon Limassol, a team which is on a different level in comparison with our previous opponent. That is why we must be responsible and ready for the two encounters,” said the experienced Lithuanian international.
Brazilian winger Alex Da Silva, who has had previous spells in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca, Paralimni and Omonia, recently signed for Apollon on a free transfer from Metalurg Donetsk and could make his debut on Thursday.
Omonia have a slightly more complicated task against Jagiellonia Bialystok of Poland. Even though they are regarded as favourites to progress over two legs, playing away from home in Europe is no easy mission. Jagiellonia have not lost at home since mid-March domestically and last week defeated Kruoja 8-0 in the second leg of their first-round matchup.
The tie is significant for Cypriot football as a whole, seeing as the two nations are currently neck and neck in UEFA’s coefficient. Cyprus are in 18th place while Poland sit a place beneath, meaning that progression for Omonia will further serve to consolidate the nation’s position while defeat would significantly narrow the margin and put its current European qualification spots in doubt.
Omonia on Monday clinched the signing of long-serving AEL Limassol midfielder Luciano Bebe on a free transfer and the 34-year-old has been selected for the trip to Poland. In his first interview for the club’s official website, Bebe stated his intent on helping Omonia to the group stages of European competition for the first time ever.
“I can’t wait to get started with Omonia and wear the shirt of this club. I want to write history with Omonia. The first aim is to reach the groups of the Europa League.”
Apollon’s match against Trakai gets underway at 8pm local time while Omonia’s visit to Bialystok kicks off at 9.30pm.
