With Omonia and AEK mathematically out of the title race, the onus is now on Anorthosis to put what has been a disastrous last couple of months behind them and pip runaway leaders APOEL to the finish line.
Anorthosis hopes were given a glimmer of hope on Saturday after AEK crashed APOEL’s party plans by beating them 1-0 at the GSP Stadium. The result also mean’t moved into third above Omonia. There is now just two points separating second place Anorthosis from fourth place Omonia.
Should Anorthosis fail to win on Sunday, APOEL will be mathematically crowned league champions for the 22nd time.
Having led the title race for most of the campaign during the normal season, the refugee club came unstuck as the season drew closer towards the end-of-season playoffs. A run of disappointing results – which included a 6-0 aggregate hammering by Omonia in the Cup – followed by home defeats to APOEL and AEK resulted in Israeli coach Ronny Levy getting the sack and former AEL boss Pambos Christodoulou being drafted in.
The club have failed to show any improvement despite Christodoulou’s entry but that could all change with a victory away to Omonia on Sunday. As is usually the case in the playoffs, second, third and fourth place is usually irrelevant with regards to sealing a place in the Europa League but the fact that fifth place AEL and sixth place Apollon will be contesting the Cyprus Cup final next month, means that things could get a lot worse for Anorthosis should they lose in Nicosia.
Anorthosis are currently two points ahead of third place Omonia and four points ahead of fourth place AEK. And with three games left to go, the stakes couldn’t be higher for all three teams as they scrap for the remaining two Europa League places.
“It’s a tough game and I hope we can seal the three points so as to remain on track with regards to our target”, commented Omonia boss Toni Savevski. “We have been playing well and what we have been missing in our few games were the three points and our qualification into the Cyprus Cup final. It is not concern for me that we haven’t scored. We played well in the previous game against Anorthosis but just couldn’t put the ball in the net.”
When asked if he is feeling the pressure with European football not a done deal as things stand now, the former AEK Athens midfielder said, “Personally, I am used to playing under pressure and towards the end of every season, the pressure intensifies. We know how to handle the pressure.”
Meanwhile, Omonia chairman Stelios Mylonas has told fans to remain by the side of the club with the Nicosia club still not out of danger with regards to meeting UEFA’s financial criteria.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mylonas presented figures which showed that the club had managed to raise €2.5m – from fundraisers and whip rounds – with most of those funds going towards outstanding debts and delayed salaries towards former players and coaches.
After thanking the fans for their “unprecedented support”, Mylonas called on them to go out and by season tickets for next season.
“We have to and we can surpass 8,500 season ticket sales. Right now, we have sold around 4,800.”
Also commented on the financial predicament of the club was Savevski who added, “With regards to the finances, when the situation was a little easier, we were able to look ahead to the new season but now, with this crisis, we need to take every day as it comes.”
Elsewhere, the relegation battle is hotting up as Alki host Nea Salamina and Ethnikos Achnas entertain Olympiakos. Alki have all but secured their status in the first division next season while four points separate Olympiakos, Ethnikos and Nea Salamina with the team to finish bottom joining AEP and Ayia Napa in the second division next season.
Last weekend’s game between Nea Salamina and Alki – which ended in a 3-1 win for Alki away – has been deemed suspicious by UEFA’s betting fraud detection system and a red file was sent to the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) offices last week.

First Division Championship 2012/2013 –
4 Competition Day
Saturday, 27 April 2013
APOEL NICOSIA	0		1	AEK LARNAKAS
Sunday, 28 April 2013
OMONIA NICOSIA	17:00			ANORTHOSIS FAMAGUSTA
More
First Division Championship 2012/2013 –
4 Competition Day
Saturday, 27 April 2013
AEL LIMASSOL	3		0	DOXA KATOKOPIA
ENOSIS NEON PARALIMNIOU FC	0		1	APOLLON LIMASSOL

Cyprus Weekly