PITTAS PENALTY RESCUES CYPRUS

A wild World Cup qualifier had a bit of everything, and the end result was a 2-2 draw that made Cyprus’s slim hopes of qualification even slimmer, but dealt a damaging blow to their opponents. Cyprus found themselves in a 2-0 hole in part due to a terrible goalkeeping blunder, but battled back with a clutch goal by Kostas Laifis, and Ioannis Pittas from the spot, saved Cyprus from a loss. This was the first ever draw between Cyprus and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and another good result for Cyprus against this nation, who they’ve beaten twice, and only lost to three times.

Austria lead Group H with a perfect 15 points and in one less match than Bosnia-Herzegovina who are second on 13 points. This result most benefits Romania in third place on 7 points with a game in hand on the Bosnians. Cyprus remain in fourth place with 5 points, and San Marino are still in last place with no points. Cyprus will next play Sunday in San Marino.

Cyprus hosted Bosnia-Herzegovina at the Giorgos Karapatakis AEK Arena in Larnaca. Ioannis Pittas shanked an early chance wide, and then the Cypriot captain Kostakis Artymatas also missed the target. Neofytos Michael got the start in goal for Cyprus and made an early save on Kerim Alajbegovic.

It was the visitors who would strike first, a free kick came to Nihad Mujakic, Michael made the first save, but the rebound came to Nikola Katic, and he was able to get it past Michael, and the Bosnians took the lead in the tenth minute.

Cyprus had a golden opportunity to level the match as Grigoris Kastanos played an excellent through ball for Pittas that he did well to stay onside for, and was unimpeded to the Bosnian goal, but he rushed his shot and inexplicably missed the net. At the other end, Armin Gigovic had a shot blocked off for a corner by Andreas Shikkis.

On the ensuing corner came maybe the worst goal allowed by any Cypriot goalkeeper at least in national team play. Alajbegovic delivered the corner which Michael jumped up to catch, dropped it, the ball went between his legs, under him, and behind him into the net in the 36^th minute.

Cyprus stayed persistent, and it paid off in stoppage time. Kastanos played the ball which eventually found Marinos Tzionis, who hit the post, but Kostas Laifis was there to put the ball past Nikola Vasilj, and Cyprus were now only down 2-1 at halftime.

The opening minutes of the second half were devoid of any real chances, and both teams played each other fairly evenly. Esmir Bajraktarevic tried to restore the two-goal advantage, but he scuffed a shot wide. The veteran Bosnian captain Edin Dzeko did well to set up Amar Memic for a strike, but he put it off the outside of the far post. Then Kastanos put one wide at the other end.

Bajraktarevic went in for the kill, but Michael fought the attempt off for a corner. Laifis looked for his second of the match, but Vasilj made the save, but before that, there was a potential penalty which sent the referee to the VAR monitor as Sunjic fouled Andronikos Kakoullis in the box, and in the end, the penalty was given.

Ioannis Pittas stepped up to take the penalty, and though Vasilj went the right way, the ball still eluded him and Cyprus levelled the match at 2-2 late in stoppage time. It looked like it would be for nought and there would be a final turn, as Dino Besirovic was alone with Michael with all day to shoot, but mercifully for Cyprus, he missed the net, and Cyprus and Bosnia-Herzegovina played to a 2-2 draw.

Cyprus(Apostolos Mantzios): 22. Neofytos Michael(GK), 17. Andreas Shikkis, 16. Stelios Andreou, 19. Kostas Laifis, 7. Anderson Correia(’65 2. Kostas Pileas), 18. Kostakis Artymatas(Captain)(’80 23. Chambos Kyriakou), 5. Charalambos Charalambous(’72 11. Andronikos Kakoullis), 20. Grigoris Kastanos, 10. Loizos Loizou(’80 15. Nikolas Koutsakos), 21. Marinos Tzionis(’80 13. Evangelos Andreou), 9. Ioannis Pittas

Bosnia-Herzegovina(Sergej Barbarez): 1. Nikola Vasilj(GK), 4. Tarik Muhamerovic, 18. Nikola Katic, 2. Nihad Mujakic(’46 17. Dzenis Burnic), 15. Amar Memic(’83 Nail Omerovic), 6. Benjamin Tahirovic(’90 Dino Besirovic), 8. Armin Gigovic(’65 13. Ivan Basic), 14. Ivan Sunjic, 19. Kerim Alajbegovic(’65 5. Esmir Bajraktarevic), 7. Amar Dedic, 10. Edin Dzeko(Captain)

Andrew Mantzas

Twitter: @MantzasNC