LFA Sunday Challenge Cup
Semi Final
Docklands 1 New Salamis 4
What a week for New Salamis League Champions and finalists to still play in the FA Sunday Cup
And now the LFA Challenge Cup.
A trip down to Chiselhurst down south and playing in difficult weather conditions and a good team Docklands who defeated another KOPA League team Brotherhood in a earlier round.the reds were able to overcome these obstacles and win in style.
It took them a while to adjust and settle but New Salamis opened the scoring with Murat who shot from the edge of the box bypassing a crowded goalmouth into the back of the net. It was still tight with the first half ending 1-0.
Straight into the second half Kyri Portou broke away one to one with the opposing keeper and stroked the ball passed him to make it 2-0.
Docklands reduced the score to 2-1 with a glanced header from their defender.
New Salamis minutes later were awarded a penalty when Sam Donoghue was pulled down in the box and Kyri Portou scored from the spot.
Kyri added the fourth when left on his own to tap the ball into an empty net,giving him a hat trick to put New Salamis into the final of the LFA Challenge Cup and a game versus fellow KOPA League team Olympia at Wingate Finchley Stadium on Sunday April the 9th 2017.
KOPA League
Challenge Cup
First Round
Anorthosis 3 Livadia 4
A very entertaining game for the spectators at Southbury was between the impressive Livadia FC and Anorthosis FC, whose first game it was for new manager Dino and many of their players.
Livadia began the game on the front foot and looked dangerous on the attack and were rewarded in the 15th minute when Andreas Kyprianou fed a through ball into Elias Katsoloudi who got there before the oncoming defender to win a penalty for Livadia FC. Captain Elias Katsoloudi slotted the penalty away to put Livadia 1-0 up. Anorthosis responded well after the goal, and within 5 minutes they were level when they counter attacked Livadia who were pushing for a second and levelled the score with Nectarios, 1-1. This only raised Livadia’s level and on 25 minutes Elias Katsoloudi chased down a long ball from goalkeeper George Georgiou and the Anorthosis defence failed to clear their lines leaving Katsoloudi to dink the keeper from a tight angle to put Livadia FC 2-1 up. On 35 minutes after a fantastic run by Livadia’s Ricky Tait down the left, he fed the ball into Katsoloudi who slotted the ball into the corner from 25 yards out to complete his hat-trick and put Livadia 3-1 up. The first half ended with Livadia’s Samir Aalit getting sent off and Anorthosis awarded a penalty which they converted with Yiannis to make the score 3-2 going into half time.
Livadia now had a big challenge on their hands and were forced to defend out their lead in the second half with 10 men. After 60 minutes Anorthosis broke the Livadia rearguard and were level making it 3-3 with Ioannis Varouxakis. Livadia did not give up there, and credit to the character of this team, as they still fashioned attacks and on 68 mins after a cross from Elias Katsoloudi, Ricky Tait was there to fire Livadia 4-3 in front and give them something to hold onto. Livadia then held out with Leo Agathangelou and Gio having very impressive games dealing with an overload of players in the middle of the park. With 10 minutes remaining Anorthosis were reduced to 10 men, leaving only one team to go on and win the game. Livadia 4-3 Anorthosis. Who now go into the next round to face New Salamis.
First Division
Arachne 1 Omonia 1
A battle of two teams trying to fend off relegation and a late surge by both teams could may keep them up.
Arachne started well and were ahead in the 20th minute from a well taken goal from Anthony Panayi.
In the second half Omonia came out strong and got the equaliser in the 70th minute with Alex Anderson scoring. Both teams had chances at the end but draw was a fair result.
Division One Cup
Second round
St Panteleimon 3 Olympia 0
St. Panteleimon hosted Olympia for this mouth watering cup tie and it lived up to all expectations.
The Saints started strongly and came close to opening the score on 5 minutes and again on 15 minutes. Olympia were also playing very well. When the Saints did score it was a contender for the goal of the season. Nikos Salapatas received the ball on the half way line and cut inside firing a 35 yard shot straight into the top corner.
Olympia played some very neat football coming close on two or three occasions but were kept out by the magnificent Donald Manaj and his back four led by the outstanding Michael Frangeskou going into the half time break 1-0..
The second half saw both teams start well pushing and asking questions of one another’s defence. Again, it was to be another spectacular goal that made it 2-0. A cross field ball from Nikos Salapatas saw Igli Sevaj instantly control the ball from over his shoulder and in the same movement volleyed the ball home from 15 yards out.
Olympia then really turned the pressure up and had their strongest spell for 15 minutes coming close on a number of occasions. The Saints Manager, George Frangeskou, made two changes reinforcing the midfield with Simon and Ibadat and the Saints looked more secure. It was Ibadat that fired home the third goal with a great left foot strike.
Final score 3-0. Man of the match was the impressive Roberto Katsikas. The Saints march on to the Semi-Finals.
Second Division
Apoel 1 Pantel 2
This was an evenly contested match. Pantel had the better of the first half. Apoel took the lead after a poor back pass from Tabby which Adam Lambrou latched on to to put the ball in the back of the net. Pantel equalised 5 minutes later with a great 25 yard strike from Emerson. Dan Moyses then missed a penalty. Apoel had the better of the 2nd half but Pantel dug deep and scored a late winner with Christo Melco in the 82nd minute.
This win puts Pantel in pole position for promotion to the first division with Komi Kebir and Cetinkaya Cinar the other challengers for the promotion spot.
Division Two Cup in memory of Michael Tzouvanni
First round
Komi Kebir 6 Cetinkaya Cinar 3
Komi Kebir put their recent bad form behind them and moved into the Divisional Cup Semi Finals with a convincing win over Centinkaya Cinar who had a bare 11 players for this early kick off.
Two goals from Andrew Prokopi and one from Andreas Bryant gave Komi a 3-0 lead within half an hour but Jamie Smith gave Cinar a lifeline just before the break.
Andreas Bryant scored his second and Komi’s fourth before Anthony Pantelides lobbed Cinar’s keeper with his first touch after coming on as a sub.
Cinar pulled another goal back through Songur Huseyin but another of Komi’s subs George Oustapisidis added a sixth. Cinar still pushed and they were rewarded with a third goal and Jamie Smith’s second of the game.
