First Division
Rizokarpasso 5 Tripimeni 3
Rizokarpasso managed by Dino Ippocratous and Tony Ponnou have really taken the League by storm this season and now sit pretty at the top of the League table after this great win over previous leaders Tripimeni. I have not known such an open battle for the Championship in years.
The Rizokarpasso versus Tripimeni game began very tense and you could sense the teams being nervous and both playing a long ball style and not a patient build up game.
There was good chances for both teams Luke Kroll and George Gregoriou from either side failed to take advantage with their chances.The turning point came in the 20th minute when Rizokarpasso were awarded a penalty which Harry Vazanias scored and two minutes later Anthony Macdonald dribbled into the box and placed the ball into the back of the net to increase Rizo’s lead to 2-0.
Tripimeni got it back to 2-1 when Darren Gray’s shot hit the bar and Alfie Bartram was there to tap in the rebound into the back of the net. Now the game had opened up and both teams were attacking on either side but it was Rizo who increased their lead to 3-1 when a Harry Vazanias corner flew over all the defenders and Anthony Macdonald on his own on the edge of the box shot on impulse straight into the back of the net.
Just before half time Tripimeni reduced the score to 3-2 when a George Gregoriou cross was met by Alfie Bartram to head the ball past the Rizo keeper into the back of the net.
Steve Cinotti the Tripimeni manager must have given a good half time pep talk because straight after the break his team equalised with another goal from Alfie Bartram giving him a hat trick to make it 3-3.
It looked like the game was going to end with a draw with both teams cancelling each other out but the Rizokarpasso super striker Anthony Macdonald was not going to have any of it.
In the 70th minute he was left on his own to calmly slot the ball into the back of the net and the fifth goal was an absolute diamond when he placed the ball into the back of the net from just inside the box giving him four goals.
A great entertaining game with Anthony Macdonald and Harry Vazanias outstanding for Rizokarpasso and Alfie Bartram truly outstanding for Tripimeni.
Dino the Rizokarpasso manager rounded up his players after the game and told them that it was a great win and “congratulated them on a good performance but we got a long season ahead and we got to be consistent if we are going to win the League”. Their next game is versus Apoel on Sunday which should be exciting.
Second Division
Pantel 8 All Saints 1
All Saints problems seem to still be piling up hopefully in the coming weeks their problems will be resolved. Pantel are improving with every game and were 5-0 up at half time with an eventual score 8-1. All Saints goal was an own goal with Pantel’s goals coming from Jayson 2, Alex Constantinou, Daniel Moysis, Marios Charalambides,the twins Chris Stylianou, and Nick Stylianou and Yiannis Yianni.
KOPA Challenge Cup
First Round
Apoel 4 Olympia 0
Olympia are still battling away with all the top teams and again they gave high and mighty Apoel a scare. Olympia even although they had five players out with food poisoning it was not until the 70th minute that Apoel scored and went onto score four goals in the space of Fifteen minutes. Their goals coming from Andre McCollins 3 and Michael Spencer. Apoel will now go on to play All Saints in the next round.
The game between KLN v Cetinkaya Cinar was abandoned in the 83rd minute with Cetinkaya Cinar leading 4-2.
Second Division Cup in memory of Michael Tzouvanni
Asha 0 Brotherhood 3
Brotherhood beat Asha 3-0 with all three goals coming from Mark Doyle. I’m surprised with Asha because they play good football and just cannot take their chances up front. I see them improving every game so that is a good sign. Brotherhood now go onto play Achna in the next round.
