Jorge Larena scored a dramatic late winner on Saturday night as AEK Larnaca trimmed the gap on league leaders APOEL with a 2-1 victory.

APOEL looked on course to sealing a crucial victory that would have moved Thomas Christiansen’s side ten points ahead of second place Apollon Limassol when Nuno Morais fired the Cypriot champions into an early lead but Imanol Idiakez’s men refused to buckle and snatched an equaliser through substitute Nestor Mytides on 82 minutes before Jorge Larena’s 92nd minute free-kick sent the AEK Arena into raptures.

The win for AEK saw them move temporarily second and close the gap on APOEL to six points. Apollon could cut the lead to just four points and move second themselves if they beat Omonia in the other big game on Sunday.

In other games on Saturday, Doxa Katokopia revived their hopes of avoiding relegation after goals from Gaussou Fofana, Coro and Tiago Gomes secured an emphatic win over Karmiotissa in Nicosia.

Doxa’s celebrations were further buoyed by Aris Limassol’s defeat at home to Ethnikos – with Emilio Zelaya scoring the only goal from the penalty spot at the Tsirio Stadium.

Doxa are now four points adrift of safety (and Aris) in the end-of-season playoff, relegation group.