Cyprus’ under-21 side returned to winning ways in 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying Group 9 on Thursday after a comfortable 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Nicosia.
Savvas Paraskevas’ side had lost their opening group game 2-0 away to Belgium but the hosts hit back in style against a depleted Northern Ireland team at the Makarios Athletic Centre.
Goals from Onisiforos Roushias, Zacharias Theodorou and skipper Pieros Sotiriou saw Cyprus climb up to second with three points after two matches and they will now travel to Serbia on September 5.
Cyprus were the more dangerous in front of goal despite the visitors enjoying the lion’s share of possession and they almost took the lead on three minutes when Dimitris Moulazimis’ cross inadvertently crashed off the post with Roushias failing to steer in the rebound. The hosts did get it right on 19 minutes when, after a quick counterattack, Sotiriou teed up Roushias who easily beat the onrushing Ross Glendinning.
Northern Ireland missed two decent chances either side of halftime to equalise through the dangerous James Gray but Cyprus put the contest beyond doubt with two goals late. Zacharias Theodorou drilled his shot into Glendinning’s right hand corner after the Northern Irish defence failed to deal with Nicos Englezou’s long throw-in on 59 minutes and Sotiriou rounded things up ten minutes later when he beat Glendinning with a crisp first time volley from outside the area.
The impressive Englezou almost added a fourth late on but his powerful shot was well saved by the Northern Ireland keeper.
Cyprus Weekly
