Full of surprises this week
First Division
New Salamis 2 Rizokarpasso 2: KOPA Champion’s and league leader’s New Salamis dropped their first points of the season at home to vastly improved Rizokarpasso who nearly brought off a surprise win. The reds had won all their games up to this game. Rizokarpasso under the management of Dino Ippocratous and coach Tony Ponnou have done very well and were leading two nil at half time. With goals from Leon Semper and Jamie Brandon. Rizo really pushed back New Salamis and were playing very attractive football.
New Salamis got a goal back in the 60th minute with a left foot volley from Mario Georgiou and just when it looked as if Rizokarpasso were going to go home with the three points Marios cropped up to score the equaliser.
New Salamis are still top of the table seven points clear of second placed Tripimeni and Rizokarpasso jumped to third place on 17 points as a result.
Tripimeni 3 Cetinkaya Cinar 1: Second placed Tripimeni had a tough time beating Cetinkaya Cinar , in the first half Cinar made it difficult for their opposition , Cinar were well organised and went into the break 1-0 down to a Darren Gray goal. Cetinkaya Cinar started the second half with two changes due to injuries and this changed the game with Tripimeni getting on top scoring a goal in the 70th minute with a great individual effort from Alfie Bartram who beat three players before beating the Cinar keeper to make it two nil. Five minutes later Tyrone Husbands made it 3-0 for Tripimeni. Cetinkaya Cinar’s goal came in the last few minutes when Volkan scored from the penalty spot.
Omonia 3 AEL 1: Omonia really need to start winning games and that’s what they did on Sunday beating in form AEL, they were second from bottom before the game started and have leaped to third from bottom as a result of this result. All the goals were scored in the first half Peter Panayiotou scored the first in the tenth minute , Chris Philippou in the 20th minute , AEL pulled one back in the 35th minute with a well taken goal from Poku. Omonia’s third goal came in the 40th minute and what a cracker it was a twenty yard screamer from Harry Elia. AEL have gone down a place to fifth.
Brotherhood 3 Dynamo 1: Brotherhood went up a place to fourth as a result of beating Dynamo who cannot keep a flow of consistency. This game was good end to end football with Brotherhood coming out on top. Alex Stavrou scored the first goal in the 20th minute with a blockbuster. The second came from Brotherhood’s super striker Aaron Kennedy who tapped it in from a corner in the 35th minute. Anthony Macdonald got one back from Dynamo when a defensive mix up allowed Anthony a shot at goal to make it 2-1. The third goal was an absolute beauty when Paul Yiannakas lobbed the ball over the Dynamo defence for Aaron Kennedy to latch on to it to score and ensure Brotherhood of a win.
Panthea 5 Aradippou 1: Panthea who have recently lost their way from being second in the table to going down to sixth came back on Sunday with a vengeance they struggled in the first half when Aradippou were giving them a hard time. The teams went into the break 2-1 Panthea leading with their goals coming from 17 year old Jamie Alexandrou and Kyri Kyprianou making it two nil before Aradippou made it 2-1 with a goal from Danny Vearer. In the second half Aradippou faded away and Panthea went on to score a further three goals with Andreas Hajizeniou, a 60th minute blaster from 25 yards. Kyri Kyprianou scored his second and fourth goal from Panthea before Fodis Christodoulou made it five in the the 80th minute.
Second Division
The second division had its share of surprises too
Pendayia 4 Anorthosis 0: Pendayia ran out convincing winners on Sunday against a struggling Anorthosis side who’s form has risen and dipped a lot this season. Pendayia dominated the game from start to finish but despite creating a handful of early chances, playing the ball around superbly, they entered the half time break 0-0. However all those in attendance knew it was more of a case of when not if the home team would break the deadlock. The second half started with Pendayia continuing to dominate and 15 minutes in, substitute Tsetso Stoyanov crossed the ball in from the right and Sami Menari scored to put the home team ahead. Shortly after, Pendayia were 2-0 up when provider for the first goal, Tsetso, got on the score sheet heading in a cross at the back post. The home team continued to press and were rewarded when Chris Andrea slotted the ball away after a perfectly played thru ball from Andreas Sheretis. The final goal came when good work down the left by Kyri Christofi saw him pull the ball back to the edge of the box and Andreas placed a fantastic shot into the top corner.
This was by far Pendayia’s best game of the season and hopefully this can be the beginning of good things to come for the young side who were led fantastically on the day, and all season, by captain Vas Nicou.
Komi Kebir 4 Pantel 3: Komi Kebir after struggling in the relegation zone for much of the season are now holding their own in fifth position. The game was exciting both teams very direct in their attacks so plenty of end to end action. It was the Komi Kebir full backs who broke the deadlock both of them raiding Pantel on both flanks and both Mirouch and Peter Vasilliou were rewarded when they both scored in the 30th and 35th minute respectively. Israel scored for Pantel just before the break making it 2-1 half time. The second half was fast flowing with Mario Seyho scoring a third goal in the 60th minute to increase Komi’s lead which Pantel came back with a second goal from Israel in the 70th minute making it 3-2. Mario Seyho got his second goal and increased Komi’s lead to 4-2 but it did not end there Pantel made it 4-3 in the 80th minute when Andy Rias scored making it an exciting finish , Komi Kebir were able to hold out and end up winners .
Achna 1 KLN (Cyprus Youth) 1: This was a memorable game in the fact that KLN got their first point of the season. KLN who had problems at the beginning of the season have done well in reforming with a vibrant young committee at the helm. They were able to get the assistance of the experience management team of Jimmy Cattle and Paul Brian. I believe we are going to see more improvement.
Both teams at the bottom of the table Achna started the game with seven points and KLN with none. The game was close it could have gone either way Achna were leading in the first half with a goal from Andy Stylianou and Andre equalised for KLN in the 60th minute finishing the game 1-1.
Olympia 2 Maronites 3: The game of two promotion hopefuls Maronites the team on form inflicted Olympia their second defeat on the trot. Maronites took the lead in the 20th minute through a Adam Ali free kick, Olympia equalised in the 35th minute with Antonis Pratsides. Olympia began to take a grip on the game but missed several chances and against the run of play Elia Koutsoudes scored to put Maronites ahead, then in the 70th minute Kerem scored an equaliser for Olympia setting up a great finale to the game finishing off with a penalty being awarded in the 85th minute to Maronites for Adam Ali to bang straight into the back of the net making Maronites 3-2 winners.
LFA Intermediate Cup 4th Round
Apoel 2 Yalova 3: Apoel lost to fellow Turkish Cypriot team Yalova from the Turkish League 3-2 at Bullsmoor Lane. Apoel were 3-0 down and were able to get it back to 3-2 with both goals coming from Richard Worrall.