Apoel secures comeback victory against Omonia Aradippou

Apoel secured a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory against Omonia Aradippou during the 8th round of the Cyprus League by Stoiximan at the AEK Arena on November 1, 2026. The match took a dramatic turn just 30 seconds after kickoff when Apoel's Sastre was sent off for a dangerous tackle. Despite the numerical disadvantage and hitting the woodwork three times, Apoel remained resilient. Omonia Aradippou took the lead in the 74th minute through Petrovic, but Apoel responded quickly.

Tasos Bakasetas became the hero for the visitors, scoring an equalizer in the 77th minute and converting a penalty in the 89th minute to complete the comeback. Goalkeeper Vid Belec also played a crucial role, making vital saves in the 80th and 90+4th minutes to preserve the win. Omonia Aradippou coach Giannos Okkas attributed the defeat to his team's lack of experience, fatigue, and loss of concentration under pressure, compounded by their own player dismissal later in the game.

This result marks Apoel's first away victory of the season and their second consecutive win, bringing them to 14 points, just three behind the league leaders. The team continues to show a strong fighting spirit, having scored eight goals in the final 15 minutes of their matches this season.