Apollon failed to secure a win heading into the international break, settling for a 2-2 draw with APOEL in the fourth matchday of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan.
The “blue-and-whites” took the lead twice, but they were unable to hold onto their lead due to defensive lapses and ultimately settled for a draw—a result that certainly leaves them unsatisfied, but not… disappointed either.
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Losada’s team came out strong and opened the scoring as early as the sixth minute with a goal by Rodríguez, Of course, they didn’t have time to celebrate, as the opponent responded immediately with a goal by Stafylidis (13′). The Limassol side didn’t give up, and after coming close to making it 2-1 with a missed one-on-one by the 35-year-old winger, they found the back of the net thanks to an own goal by Laifis (42′).
With momentum on their side and playing at home, Apollon was expected to come out just as strong after the break, looking for a third goal that would “seal” the positive result. Instead, they appeared drained of energy and took on a passive role, with the “blue-and-yellows” taking center stage.
A key factor in this turn of events was the limited options available to the Spanish coach on the bench, as he had to devise his game plan with six players out. Specifically, Spoljaric, Gaspar, Andreou, Ljubic, Brown, and Ozbolt were all out.
As if the limited rotation weren’t enough, there was also Koun’s mistake in the 59th minute, when he… illegally brought down Pedroso inside the box, allowing him to… score the final 2-2 from the penalty spot.
Apollon may have failed to earn three points for the second straight match, but they showed that, despite the absences, they can still be competitive. This is a highly encouraging sign for the future, as the next three weeks offer time to clear the injury list and give Losada the opportunity to work on helping the team gel better.
