The contest between AEK and Apollon will be the highlight of the domestic weekend as the league title race resumes following the international break.
Elsewhere on the weekend, champions AEL are at home to Alki on Saturday while APOEL host Doxa Katokopia and Omonia face a tricky trip to the Dasaki Stadium to play Ethnikos Achnas.
But its Sunday’s game in Larnaca between hosts AEK and Apollon Limassol which is attracting the most attention in matchday two. Both sides got their league campaigns underway with victories on the opening day of the season with a Nestoras Mytides’ goal handing AEK 1-0 victory away to Alki in the Larnaca derby while Apollon were in impressive form as they beat Ethnikos Achnas 2-0 in Limassol.
Both clubs have also set ambitious targets this season as they aim to get back into European football next year having missed out this season.
AEK made history last season by becoming the first team from Cyprus to qualify for the group stages of the Europa League – a success put down to the astute partnership of former team manager Jordi Cruijff and coach Ton Caanen who has since been replaced by Israeli boss Ran Ben Shimon.
The Larnaca club parted with 13 players in the summer whilst brining in another 14 including Dutch striker Nassir Maachi and Maccabi Tel-Aviv goalkeeper Guy Haimov on loan.
It has also been all change at Apollon. Under new manager George Burley and newly arrived influential chairman Nicos Kirzis, 15 news players – including another five from loan returns – as they aim to topple their bitter rivals AEL as the kings of Cyprus.
The last time they tasted trophy success was when they beat APOEL 2-1 in the Cyprus Cup final back in 2001 and have to look back to 2006 to remember the last time they lifted the league title.
APOEL, still reeling from their shock Europa League playoff exit at the hands of Neftchi Baku, take on Doxa although an internal dispute appears to have erupted at the Nicosia club over whether the club company or the club itself should oversee footballing matters such as transfers.
The dispute has resulted in the club taking the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) to the Court of Arbitration in a bid to overturn a previous CFA ruling saying that only the club’s company management had jurisdiction over matters concerning football department.
Club officials from both the company and club, however, are still attempting to diffuse the issue saying that the matter can be resolved internally.
Cash-strapped Omonia – who like APOEL and Anorthosis enjoyed five-goal victories on the opening day of the season – will face Ethnikos with uncertainty of the club’s future still lingering following the resignation of club chairman Miltiades Neophytou.
Champions AEL face Alki with coach Pambos Christodoulou praying his players stay injury free with Borussia Moechengladbach lying in waiting on Thursday in the Europa League.
In other games, Ayia Napa host Olympiakos Nicosia, AEP face Nea Salamina while title chasers Anorthosis host Nea Salamina in the Famagusta derby
Cyprus Weekly
