Apollon and APOEL draw in Cyprus League derby

Apollon Limassol and APOEL played to a 2-2 draw in a competitive Cyprus League match held at the Alphamega Stadium on September 19, 2026. The scoring opened early with Apollon’s Rodriquez finding the net in the 6th minute, followed by an equalizer from Stafylidis for APOEL in the 13th minute. Before halftime, Laifis scored an own goal in the 43rd minute to restore Apollon's lead, but APOEL secured a point after Pedroso converted a penalty in the 61st minute following a defensive error by Apollon goalkeeper Koun.

Following the final whistle, APOEL coach Nikos Papadopoulos was sent off by referee Konstantinos Fellas for vociferous protests. Papadopoulos later claimed he had been dismissed after telling the referee that he did not want him to officiate future APOEL matches, marking his first expulsion in a 20-year career.

This result extends APOEL’s winless streak at the Alphamega Stadium to eight matches. While Apollon failed to capitalize on their home advantage, the match demonstrated a marked tactical improvement for the visitors compared to their previous league performances. Both teams left the pitch with a shared point, leaving Apollon in 4th place and APOEL in 8th place in the current league standings.