CYPRUS OVERCOME HELLISH START, EARN POINT AGAINST ROMANIA

Cyprus showed a lot of character, overcoming a disastrous start to battle back to get a point in a 2-2 draw at home to Romania in Nicosia. Cyprus fell behind 2-0 before the match was 20 minutes old, but Loizos Loizou pulled one back before halftime, and Charalambos Charalambous had the equalizer in the second half. Cyprus remains fourth in the group now up to four points, in the other match in the group, Austria won 2-1 away to Bosnia-Herzegovina, putting Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina into a tie atop the group with 12 points each. Romania are in third with 7 points, the dropped points from this could prove costly. San Marino are last in the group with no points.

This was Cyprus’s fourth ever draw against Romania, they’ve only defeated Romania once, Romania has otherwise won 12 of the now 17 meetings. Cyprus will next play exactly a month from now at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina on October 9th, that match will be held in Larnaca.

Cyprus hosted Romania in a qualifier for the 2026 World Cup at the Stadio GSP in Nicosia. This was Cyprus’s first time in Nicosia in 4 years. Unfortunately, before the match was even two minutes old a turnover in midfield sent Denis Dragus in alone on a breakaway, and he dribbled around Fabiano and calmly tucked it into the empty net, making it 1-0 for Romania.

Romania smelled blood from there and Dragus bid for another, but this time Fabiano was there to make the save. Nonetheless, the second wasn’t far off and it came in the 18th minute, Dragus again using his speed to get himself alone with Fabiano after latching onto a good ball from Razvan Marin, and this time it was a chip that put it home, Dragus had his second and Romania were up 2-0.

Cyprus tried to respond, and Kostas Pileas got a powerful shot off, but it was right at Horatiu Moldovan, the Romanian keeper. Marinos Tzionis turned and got a shot off and Moldovan at full extension did well to get just enough of it to keep it out. On the ensuing corner, Moldovan turned Grigoris Kastanos aside.

Finally, the pressure paid off, Kastanos knocked down a clearing attempt, dribbled into the box and found Loizos Loizou at the far post and beat Moldovan to put Cyprus on the board in the 29th minute, the Romanians protested for offside, but replay showed that Andrei Burca kept Loizou onside.

The proceedings calmed down a bit after that, but once again a through ball set up a dangerous chance for Romania, this time it was Dennis Man alone with Fabiano, but this time Fabiano came out on top, sprawling out to deny Man and keep Cyprus within a goal. Cyprus went into halftime down 2-1.

Cyprus opened up the second half determined to level the match. Anderson Correia delivered a free kick that was blocked but came to Tzionis, but Moldovan reacted well to make the save. Ioannis Pittas put an effort on target but Moldovan saw it all the way. A volley came to Chambos Kyriakou, but he sliced it wide.

Once again however, persistence paid off. A cross was headed down by Andronikos Kakoullis, and Charalambos Charalambous pounced on the loose ball and smashed it past Moldovan, and after falling into the early hole, Cyprus got it back to 2-2 in the 76th minute.

Cyprus continued to try to ride the wave, but Kastanos put one over the net. In stoppage time, Pittas found himself alone with Moldovan, but the finish was poor and it was a much easier save for Moldovan than it should have been. Andrei Ratiu beat Charalambous to the rebound and cleared it away. That would be the last chance, Cyprus and Romania played to a 2-2 draw.

Cyprus(Apostolos Mantzios): 12. Fabiano(GK), 16. Andreas Shikkis, 15. Christos Shelis, 19. Kostas Laifis, 2. Kostas Pileas(’46 7. Anderson Correia), 20. Grigoris Kastanos(Captain), 8. Ioannis Kousoulos(’62 5. Charalambos Charalambous), 13. Ioannis Kosti(’68 23. Chambos Kyriakou), 21. Marinos Tzionis(’87 14. Nikolas Koutsakos), 17. Loizos Loizou(’62 11. Andronikos Kakoullis), 9. Ioannis Pittas

Romania(Mircea Lucescu): 12. Horatiu Moldovan(GK), 11. Nicusor Bancu, 15. Andrei Burca, 5. Virgil Ghita, 2. Andrei Ratiu, 10. Nicolae Stanciu(Captain), 6. Marius Marin, 18. Razvan Marin(’80 8. Adrian Sut)(’85 19. Florin Tanase), 14. Alexandru Dobre(’65 17. David Niculescu), 20. Dennis Man(’80 23. Deian Sorescu), 7. Denis Dragus

Andrew Mantzas

Twitter: @MantzasNC