Apollon and Paphos played to a draw in the derby held at “Alphamega Stadium” for Matchday 8 of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan.
After the match, both Hernán Lozada and Paphos coach Ricardo Sa Pinto spoke at the press conference.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Key points
Hernán Lozada (Apollon): “We scored two goals, but we keep conceding. We were the better team. Tonight we lost two points. If we keep playing this way, more wins will surely come. Even though we lost two points, we remain the only undefeated team. If we keep creating chances like this, we’ll have a better chance. We need to improve defensively. We talked to the players about how Paphos attacks, and it hurts me that we conceded that goal.”
Ricardo Sa Pinto (Paphos): “We didn’t start the way we expected. Our opponent was better in the first ten minutes. After that, we made some adjustments, found our balance, and controlled the game until the end of the first half. We created chances, but we conceded a goal that no one expected—not even Apollon.
In the locker room, we spoke with the players and told them that we were doing well and needed to stay positive. In the second half, Apollon also came out stronger. We, with the right strategy, closed down the spaces, but we conceded a goal that resulted from the opposing forward’s talent. It was yet another goal that no one expected. At that point, the game was 50-50.
We then made some substitutions, scored, and tied the game. It was a good match between two good teams, with intense competition. I think everyone enjoyed it. I think the final result was fair.
The only thing that worried and upset me was the number of yellow cards. We’re not such a rough team, and we picked up six yellow cards very easily, which resulted in us losing some players. I hope the referees will show more patience and understanding in the future, because most of those incidents didn’t warrant a yellow card.”
On whether a draw was the best Paphos could have hoped for:
“We always want more, and we believe we can achieve it. We try to win every game, but sometimes that’s not possible. That’s just how soccer is. I’m very proud of the team. The players are focused, they’re following the game plan, and they have a positive mindset. I believe the wins will come soon.”
On the view that the team has lost some of the momentum and spirit it had last season:
“That’s true in some games, but in the last two we were the better team and lost because of the little things—either because we didn’t score or because we weren’t awarded certain penalties. We’re not clearly better than the other teams. That’s just how soccer is.
We’ve also had penalty calls that weren’t given to us in some games, and we’ve had to deal with injuries, though that’s no excuse. There are a lot of games, one after another, and it’s not easy to manage them when you don’t have many options.
However, I’m very optimistic about the team. It has achieved a lot. The league is a marathon, and no one is going to clinch it just yet.”
