APOEL came close to realizing its “dream”!
The “blue-and-yellows’” European campaign in the Preliminary Round of the UEFA Futsal Champions League ended on a very disappointing note, as qualification came down to just one goal. The “blue-and-yellows” earned six points with two wins in three matches, but the three-way tie with Hjørring and Tirana was decided by goal difference, leaving APOEL in third place in the group.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The “blue-and-yellows” issued the following statement: “APOEL’s run in the Preliminary Round of the UEFA Futsal Champions League came to an end in the most narrow of margins.
Group B was the only one of the tournament’s eight groups to end with a three-way tie, as Hjørring Futsal Klub, Futsal Klub Tirana, and APOEL each earned 6 points.
According to UEFA regulations, when three teams are tied, a special tiebreaker is applied that takes into account only their head-to-head matches. The first tiebreaker is points earned in head-to-head matches, followed by goal difference, and then goals scored.
All three teams had one win and one loss in their head-to-head matches and therefore 3 points each. Thus, the ranking was decided by goal difference: Hjørring: 13-12 (+1) Tirana: 13-13 (0) APOEL: 13-14 (-1) APOEL thus finished in 3rd place, having earned 6 points and secured two wins in three matches. Special mention should be made of Hjørring Futsal Klub, one of the strongest and highest-quality teams we have ever faced in our European history. The Danish champions reached the top 16 of the UEFA Futsal Champions League last season and were ultimately the team that advanced from our group this year. Against this team, APOEL secured a massive and historic 7-6 victory. In the end, we were just one goal away from advancing.
If we had scored one more goal in that match and beaten Hjørring 8-6, then all three teams would have had a goal difference of zero in their head-to-head matches.
The next tiebreaker would have been total goals scored, and APOEL would have had 14, compared to 13 for the other two teams. That one goal would have secured us first place and a spot in the Main Round of the UEFA Futsal Champions League.
So, by a single goal, our European campaign this year comes to an end. A campaign in which APOEL proved that it can go head-to-head with top-tier European teams, beat them, and fight for its place in the next round right down to the very last moment. Two wins. Six points. A historic victory over the team that ultimately advanced.
One goal away from the Main Round.”
