The mood was quite different in the APOEL and Nea Salamina camps, following the “blue-and-yellows’” 2-1 victory in their head-to-head matchup for Matchday 5 of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan.
Nikos Karabetakis, who replaced the suspended Papadopoulos, spoke at the press conference and emphasized the importance of the three points, as they provide some breathing room heading into the rest of the season. He dedicated the victory to the team’s fan, Aris, while noting that in the first half, despite the chances they created, the team as a whole did not play well, as they lacked energy and movement on the field. These elements emerged after the break.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
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On the other hand, Ángel López considers the result unfair, since, just as against AEL, the “Red-and-Whites” suffered defeat on a goal scored in stoppage time.
In detail:
Nikos Karabetakis (APOEL): “This victory is dedicated to Aris, who was unjustly taken from us; may the earth that covers him be light, and may God give strength to his family.
We had to deal with a unique situation—the unjust absence of our coach—but the players responded by giving their very best, especially in the second half. They showed just how good they are as players and as people.
We didn’t start the game well; our pace, thinking, and movements were slow, and our opponent, who was aiming for that, also played a role in it. However, as a top-tier team, we must perform better against such opponents.
After equalizing—thanks to the substitutions and the incredible support from the fans—we secured the victory. These are three important points; they give us peace of mind moving forward.”
Ángel López (Nea Salamina): “Once again, soccer was unfair to Nea Salamina; just like against AEL, we lost in stoppage time. It was an amazing effort; we shut them down. We’d been preparing for this for three weeks, and we played with six Cypriots, seven of whom played in the second division last season. We put in an incredible effort, but once again, in stoppage time, we lost what we deserved. We created chances, and I’m pleased with our performance, but if we want to earn points, we need to be smarter in our decision-making in the final minutes—soccer doesn’t forgive.”
