Apollon maintained their three-point lead at the top of the Cyprus standings with a deserved 2-1 win over Omonia in Nicosia.
Elsewhere, APOEL kept up the pressure with an easy win against Doxa Katokopias while Ermis Aradippou recorded his first win in almost two months.
14,000 fans, the large majority being Omonia supporters, turned up to watch the top of the table clash between Omonia and Apollon at the GSP stadium on Sunday. Both teams were unbeaten in 2015 but it was Apollonas who got off to the better start controlling play and moving forward . They could have taken the lead as early as the first minute but Omonia keeper Moreira pushed the ball away for a corner. In fact with better finishing Apollon’s Greek striker Papoulis could have scored a hat-trick in the opening 15 minutes.
Omonia tried to respond but just when they were getting into the game the visitors hit on the break on the half-hour mark. A defensive error allowed Lopes through on the right and his cross was met by Abraham Guie who headed over Moreira’s flailing arms.
The home side did manage to create a couple of chances but it was the visitors who scored again six minutes before the break with Guie turning provider this time for Papoulis to ram the ball past Moreira.
The second half was a shadow of the first even though Omonia did pull a goal back through Rounie in the 55th minute. Having conceded a goal, Apollonas’ coach beefed up his midfield and from there on his team were rarely troubled. In fact it was the team from Limassol who missed a couple of sitters to sew up the match.
Omonia lost the game but an even bigger loss was the injury to their leading marksmen Pote who according to reports cracked a rib after a collision with the Apollon keeper Bruno Vale.
Champions APOEL kept up the pressure with a comfortable win over relegation candidates Doxa. Despite the waterlogged pitch the Nicosia team performed well and scored at the beginning of each half through Norwegian John Arne Riise and a Leonardo own goal. The scoreline could have been much bigger but for some heroic goalkeeping by Doxa’s keeper Hadjifrangiscou.
Ermis Aradippou returned to winning ways after a professional display against a disappointing Othellos. The goals came from Manou and Taralides in the first half. AEL, vying with Ermis for the coveted sixth spot, kept up their hopes with a convincing 3-0 win over bottom of the table Ayia Napa.
The goals came from Bebe and Tagbanjumi in the first half, and a Markofski own goal ten minutes from the end.
No goals were scored in the remaining two games with Anorthosis moving into third place despite drawing with Ethnikos, while Nea Salamina picked up a valuable point at home to the disappointing AEK.
Cyprus Mail