Cyprus resume their qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup 2014 on Tuesday as they take on Norway at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca.
“Playing at home we will try to be more aggressive and hopefully win the match,” said AEK Larnaca defender Jason Demetriou.
This will be the ninth match between the two nations since 1988, with Norway historically superior having claimed seven victories, the latest 3-1 win recorded last October in Oslo. The only win for Cyprus came in 1998 against the Norwegian Olympic team at an international tournament held on the island.
After having serious problems with team selection last Friday in Slovenia, Cyprus national head coach Nikos Nioplias will be relieved as his team prepares to face Norway.
Both Dosa Junior and Marios Nikolaou who were forced to skip the Slovenia clash are available for selection, while influential midfielder Vincent Laban returns from suspension.
Christos Marangos and Efstathios Aloneftis will be given late fitness tests, but it is expected they will feature. However, Valentinos Sielis was shown his second yellow card of the campaign in Maribor and he will have to miss the match at Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium.
“In Slovenia we could not achieve what we hoped for; however, playing in front of our supporters things will be far different. We believe in our ability and I personally believe that we can reach our goals,” Demetriou added.
Norway held group leaders Switzerland to a 1-1 draw in Berne on Friday, and they arrive in Cyprus confident of building on their momentum. National team head coach Egil Olsen added Helsingborg’s Ardian Gashi to his squad after midfielder Havard Nordtveit received his second yellow card in the World Cup qualifiers against the Swiss.
Elsewhere in Group E, just one point separates group leaders Switzerland and Iceland, with those two hopefuls preparing to lock horns in Reykjavik, while Albania host Slovenia in Tirana.
Cyprus Mail