AEK Larnaca claimed a 3-1 victory over APOEL in the opening round of the Cypriot First Division on Friday evening. The hosts took an early lead through Jan Repas in the 27th minute before Kostas Stafylidis turned the ball into his own net just 11 minutes later. Yerson Chacón and Ioannis Avramidis added two more goals late on to secure all three points for the second-placed side.
AEK Larnaca kept their side in it from the start, with Repas finding the back of the net before Stafylidis' misfortune doubled their advantage. The visitors had possession but couldn't capitalise on their opportunities. Godswill Ekpolo was substituted in the 61st minute as APOEL tried to find a way back into the game, but the hosts were not to be shaken.
Statistics tell the story of a match where APOEL dominated possession at 55 per cent but failed to convert their chances. They registered seven shots on target compared to the hosts' four, yet only managed a single goal. APOEL also had more attacks overall at 95 to the hosts' 71, but the accuracy of their finishing left much to be desired.
The result sees APOEL drop to the foot of the table after their opening defeat. Dálcio's red card in stoppage time capped a difficult debut for the visitors, who had previously beaten Anorthosis 3-1 in their last outing. AEK Larnaca move up to second place with three points from one game, looking to build on their recent form.