Apoel maintain lead

APOEL and Anorthosis played out a goalless stalemate Saturday afternoon at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia – a result that definitely suits APOEL more, as they maintained a six-point lead atop the championship playoffs group with four matches remaining.

The match started at a high pace but that did not last long as both teams quickly settled in to defend their own goal and look for an opportunity to score on the counter attacks.

APOEL produced two quality chances throughout the entire half, both after corner kicks, but Anorthosis’ goalkeeper Christos Mastrou showed his class on each of the two occasions.

Nothing changed after the interval as the league leaders had more ball possession, but failed to create anything significant in front of Mastrou’s goal apart from two penalty claims which were waved away by the referee.

Anorthosis themselves also had a penalty claim when Giannis Okkas was brought down in the penalty area with 20 minutes to go, but once again the referee waved appeals aside.

However, nine minutes from time he sent off Anorthosis’ defender Rui Duarte for a second bookable offence, but until the final whistle the hosts failed to capitalise on their player advantage.

APOEL now top the championship playoff group with 67 points, while Anorthosis remain in second position, trailing the leaders by six points.

Omonia are third with 59 points after defeating AEK 2-0 Saturday afternoon at the GSZ Stadium, to gain a solitary-point advantage over the Larnaca outfit.

Maltese midfielder Andre Schembri put Omonia ahead 10 minutes into the match, while Andre Alves set up the final score in the 37th minute.

Both Nicosia teams visit Larnaca in the next round, with APOEL taking on AEK and Omonia facing Anorthosis at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium.

Elsewhere in Group 2, AEL topped Apollon 2-1 in the Limassol derby, while Doxa Katokopia narrowly defeated Enosis Neon Paralimni 1-0.

AEL’s midfielder Rui Miguel broke the deadlock at the Tsirion Stadium in Limassol at the 11th minute, while Maykon doubled the official hosts’ lead just after the half-hour mark. Argentinean striker Emmanuel Serra scored a consolation goal for Apollon in the last minute of the first half.

Gaossou Fofana converted a penalty kick 16 minutes from time to provide Doxa with a new victory, in what has been a very successful season for the Katokopia side

Cyprus Weekly