Saturday, 15 September 2012
AYIA NAPA	1		1	OLYMPIAKOS NICOSIA
AEP PAPHOS	1		0	NEA SALAMIS FC
ANORTHOSIS FAMAGUSTA	1		1	ENOSIS NEON PARALIMNIOU FC
AEL LIMASSOL	3		1	ALKI LARNAKAS
ETHNIKOS ACHNAS	1		1	OMONIA NICOSIA
Sunday, 16 September 2012
AEK LARNAKAS	2:0			APOLLON LIMASSOL
APOEL NICOSIA	3:1			DOXA KATOKOPIA

AEL, APOEL and AEK went joint top of the Cypriot first division on the weekend while Anorthosis and Omonia dropped their first points of the new season.
Title holders AEL, who make their Europa League bow on Thursday against Borussia Moechengladbach in Nicosia, gave themselves the perfect boost with a 3-1 victory against Alki while APOEL – led by an Aldo Adorno double – beat Doxa 3-1 and AEK defeated Apollon 2-0 in the matchday two’s big game.
AEL warmed up for their big European game this week with a routine victory over Alki. Michalis Constantinou got the ball rolling early on after taking advantage of goalkeeper Corrin Brooks-Meade’s poorly timed exit off his line. Vouho doubled the advantage soon after with a neat finish before skipper Marios Nicolaou wrapped up the three points with an impressive strike from long range.
Spanish midfielder Cristian Hidalgo scored a late consolation goal for Alki.
APOEL also strolled in their game against Doxa although they went into halftime goalless. Aldo Adorno ten-minute brace quickly restored order for Ivan Jovanovic’s side whilst also taking him to the top of the scoring charts with five goals in two games before Stathis Aloneftis added a late third after a sublime solo effort.
Former APOEL playmaker Ricardo Fernandes scored in injury time to salvage some pride for Doxa.
AEK were the victors in the weekend’s big game after the Larnaca club secured an impressive 2-0 win over Apollon. Spanish striker Gorka Pintado scored both goals in the second half to hand Israeli boss Ran Ben Shimon his second win in succession since arriving in the summer.
The news was not so good for Omonia and Anorthosis who were held to 1-1 draws against Ethnikos Achnas and Enosis Neon Paralimniou respectively.
Omonia had taken the lead through Demetris Christofi’s powerful strike from a Nuno Asis pass at the Dasaki Stadium before Marcelo Penta’s late free-kick fooled goalkeeper Johnny Leoni to salvage a point for Ethnikos.
Anorthosis had also taken the lead in their home tie against Enosis through William Boaventura’s header from close range but the visitors answered back right after halftime through Leonardo’s close range strike. The game was interrupted for ten minutes when angry Anorthosis fans began throwing bottles and lighters onto the pitch.
The game between Ayia Napa and Olympiakos also ended 1-1 while AEP bounced back from their opening day mauling at the hands of Anorthosis to beat Nea Salamina 1-0 in Paphos. Goran Tal scored the only goal with a header ten minutes from time.

Cyprus Weekly