Apollon Claim Comfortable Victory Over Anorthosis
Apollon Limassol beat Anorthosis 3:1 in the First Division at the Alfamega Stadium on Saturday. The result leaves the hosts third on four points after two games, while Anorthosis remain winless at the bottom of the table. And here's the thing — the scoreline tells only part of the story.
Apollon took the lead just before half-time through G. Rodrigues, who found the net in the forty-fourth minute. Anorthosis responded immediately after the break when Kiko converted a penalty in the forty-eighth minute. To be fair, the visitors had won a spot-kick, but Apollon had the better of the opening exchanges.
The turning point came in the forty-seventh minute when A. Ozbolt restored the hosts' advantage. He was substituted off in the ninetieth minute, but not before adding a second penalty in the eighty-ninth minute. By then the match had settled into a rhythm the visitors couldn't break.
Anorthosis managed only two shots on target all afternoon, compared to five for Apollon. The visitors won the corner count 3-5 and had slightly more attacks, 63 to 61, but couldn't turn that into meaningful chances. Apollon kept 53 per cent of possession and controlled the tempo.
The result means Apollon have now drawn one and won one, while Anorthosis have lost both matches. The hosts sit three points clear of safety with two games played, though the gap means little this early. Anorthosis are looking at a difficult campaign ahead.
What stands out is how Apollon managed the game after going behind. They didn't panic, they kept structure, and they punished the visitors when opportunities arose. That's the kind of response that separates teams that survive from those that don't.
