CYPRUS IN CONTROL AGAINST LIECHTENSTEIN

Cyprus won their first ever meeting against Liechtenstein, 2-0 in an away international friendly in Vaduz. Marinos Tzionis scored for the second time in as many matches, and Kostas Sotiriou scored his first international goal for the insurance marker. The close score however, doesn’t reflect how dominant Cyprus were, not even allowing a shot on target. Cyprus won’t play again until late September when they visit Montenegro to open the UEFA Nations League. Cyprus also unbeaten in their last three matches.

Cyprus visited Liechtenstein at Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz in an international friendly. Andronikos Kakoullis nearly scored seconds into the match, latching onto a good ball with just the Liechtenstein goalkeeper Justin Ospelt to beat, but he put it wide of the far post. Cyprus kept pressing, and in the 28th minute finally hit paydirt. Angelos Neophytou played in a cross that eluded two blue shirts and found Marinos Tzionis who smashed it past a helpless Ospelt, putting Cyprus up 1-0.

Cyprus continued to attack hard and earned a corner, Sotiriou got to it first and got a touch, Ospelt couldn’t find it, but Jens Hofer was able to clear it off the line. Then, Giannis Satsias nailed the crossbar. Anderson Correia had a go from distance, but it sailed over the bar. Liechtenstein made a rare foray forward and Aron Sele had the Cypriot defenders beaten, but his touch failed him before he could get a shot off, and Cyprus remained ahead, 1-0 at halftime.

Cyprus opened the second half with a slew of changes, including in goal as Charalambos Kyriakidis made his international debut in relief of Andreas Paraskevas. Ioannis Pittas fired an effort on goal that Ospelt did very well to knock aside. Neophytou put his weight into one from outside the box, and Ospelt was once again acrobatic enough to keep it out. Kakoullis was brought down in the box, and wanted a penalty, but was given a yellow card instead.

The elusive second goal finally arrived in style. Grigoris Kastanos delivered a free kick, and of all people, it was Kostas Sotiriou with a superb volley into the top corner past Ospelt. It was his first goal for his country, and it was 2-0 for Cyprus in the 71st minute.

Liechtenstein once again went on a rare rush up the pitch, and Bruno Poitner had only one Cypriot defender to beat and Fabio Luque-Notaro with him, but his pass to Luque-Notaro was way off, and nothing came of it. That would be as close as Liechtenstein would come to even getting a shot on target, and Cyprus won it 2-0.

Liechtenstein(Konrad Funfstuck): 1. Justin Ospelt(GK), 14. Livio Meier(’82 5. Jonas Weissenhofer), 4. Lars Traber(’82 6. Andreas Malin), 23. Jens Hofer, 20. Sandro Wolfinger(’60 19. Emanuel Zund), 18. Alessio Hasler(’76 17. Liam Kranz), 10. Marcel Buchel(’76 2. Severin Schlegel), 8. Aron Sele, 3. Maximilian Goppel(Captain)(’76 16. Bruno Poitner), 22. Willy Pizzi(’46 13. Kenny Kindle), 11. Dennis Salanovic(’46 7. Fabio Luque-Notaro)

Cyprus(Apostolos Mantzios): 12. Andreas Paraskevas(GK)(’46 19. Charalambos Kyriakidis), 7. Anderson Correia(’46 18. Andreas Christou), 4. Stelios Andreou(’77 14. Giorgos Malekkidis), 3. Kostas Sotiriou(’87 15. Christos Shelis), 6. Giannis Satsias(’77 2. Kostas Sergiou), 13. Ioannis Kosti(’68 25. Giorgos Naoum), 8. Chambos Kyriakou(’68 5. Charalambos Charalambous), 20. Grigoris Kastanos(Captain)(’87 26. Andreas Shikkis), 21. Marinos Tzionis(’46 9. Ioannis Pittas), 23. Angelos Neophytou(’77 17. Evagoras Antoniou), 11. Andronikos Kakoullis(’68 24. Stavros Georgiou)

Andrew Mantzas

Twitter: @MantzasSport