AEK takes early lead against APOEL in Cyprus league premiere

On August 29, 2026, AEK Larnaca faced APOEL Nicosia in the opening round of the Cypriot First Division football championship at the Arena. The match saw AEK establish a 2-0 lead by the end of the first half, gaining a significant advantage early in the season.

AEK opened the scoring in the 27th minute when Jan Repas headed in a cross from Pileas, with the ball deflecting off Laifis into the net despite Belec's attempt to save. In the 38th minute, AEK extended their lead after a free kick taken by Ledes was headed by Milicevic; in an attempt to clear, APOEL’s Stafylidis inadvertently scored an own goal. Referee Kyriakos Athanasiou officiated the match, which had seen Stafylidis receive a yellow card shortly before the own goal for a foul on Layouni.