Anorthosis defeated APOEL 2-1 at the “Freedom Antonis Papadopoulos” Stadium in the third matchday of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan.
After the derby, the coaches of both teams, Nestro El Maestro and Nikos Papadopoulos, gave statements.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Here’s what they said in detail:
Nestor El Maestro
“Let’s not forget that we were playing against a very good team today, and we knew that our best chance to win this game was to be nearly perfect in every aspect—pressing high up the field and and defending deep. We had to build chemistry with our fantastic fans and draw strength from them. We managed to do all of that. I’m very proud of all the players who took the field today.”
Nikos Papadopoulos
“We played against a team with a lot of passion, strong in one-on-one battles. In the first half, we were slow; we barely won any duels, and just like in the first matchday, we gifted our opponent two goals today. Although we came out in the second half looking to change the pace and play faster, they tied the game, and just when we had the momentum, we failed to show any aggressiveness because our thinking was slow, slow decision-making—especially on offense—and we gave our opponent the opportunity to challenge us with the energy and passion they possessed. I’d say that, especially in the first half, we weren’t good at all. Congratulations to Anorthosis on their victory, and as I said, we need to stop giving our opponents these free gifts.”
