APOEL and Omonia of Nicosia have achieved their first victories in the Cyprus football league. Match Day 3 of the league.
Anorthosis Famagusta went to the top of the table on Sunday after claiming a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Aris Limassol in a fiery encounter in Larnaca.
Sekou Cisse scored the only goal of the game at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium on the hour in a game which featured many chances. Aris played the final ten minutes of the game with ten men following the red card for Evariste Ngolok.
Anorthosis are one point ahead of the second place AEL but having played a game more. AEL had sealed a similar hard-fought victory over Doxa Katokopia on Saturday with Aldair scoring the only goal of the game on 79 minutes.
AEK Larnaca strolled to a 4-0 win over a disjointed Ermis Aradippou on Monday on night to move within a point of league leaders Anorthosis Famagusta.
Imanol Idiakez’s side stormed into a 3-0 lead within the opening half-an-hour to put the contest beyond doubt courtesy of a brace from Florian Taulemesse and another from Ivan Trickovski. Nestor Mytides added a fourth late in the second half.
Ermis, who changed almost their entire squad in the summer, looked out of sorts with massive defensive problems. They currently sit bottom of the table.
Title holders APOEL sealed a 4-1 win at Nea Salamina in their first league game to give themselves the best possible boost ahead of their opening Champions League group game against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
New signings Praxitelis Vouros, Jesus Rueda, Agustin Farias, Ghayas Fahid, Roland Sallai, Minas Antoniou, Tommy Oar, and Mickaël Poté all made their league debut in the win. Sallai and substitute Poté also got on the scoresheet with De Camargo grabbing the other two goals.
A dreadful mistake by APOEL keeper Boy Waterman had allowed Joel Damahou to score the opening goal for Salamina.
Apollon Limassol, who face Lyon in their opening Europa League game this coming week, were held to a 1-1 draw by newcomers Olympiakos Nicosia.
Pambos Christodoulou had Matt Derbyshire to thank after his double saw off Ethnikos Achnas in a nervy encounter for the hosts in Nicosia on Sunday.
The results of the Match Day 3: Olympiakos-Apollon 1-1, AEL-Doxa Katokopias 1-0, Nea Salamina-APOEL 1-4, Omonia-Ethnicos Achnas 2-1, Paphos FC-Alki 1-1, Anorthosis-Aris 1-0. AEK 4 Ermis 0
Standings after Match Day 3: Anorthosis 7, AEK (2 games), AEL 6 (2 games), Doxa 4, Alki 4, Omonia 3 (1 game), Ethnicos 3, Olympiakos 2, Nea Salamina 2, Ap;ollon 1 (1 game), Aris 1, Paphos 1 (2 games), Ermis 0 (2 games).