APOEL defeated by Anorthosis in Cyprus League match

APOEL suffered a 2-1 defeat against Anorthosis on September 12, 2026, during the third matchday of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan. The Nicosia club, led by coach Nikos Papadopoulos, entered the match without key players Konstantinos Laifis, who was sidelined with a quadriceps injury, and Dalsio, who was suspended. Facundo Perez and Carrillo were also unavailable, leading to starting roles for Angelopoulos and Barak.

Despite a second-half equalizer from Tasos Bakasetas, who scored on his debut, APOEL conceded a decisive goal in the 90+1 minute. The match saw two forced substitutions for APOEL as Nikos Angelopoulos and Marquinhos were injured in the 72nd and 75th minutes respectively. Coach Papadopoulos expressed significant disappointment with the team's performance, criticizing their slow decision-making and lack of intensity in the first half, which he described as gifting opportunities to the opposition.

This loss follows a 6-0 victory against AEL and marks the team's second defeat of the season. The club now faces pressure to address inconsistency and defensive vulnerabilities, which have been cited as recurring issues dating back to the previous campaign.