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Anorthosis miss chance to reignite title challenge

Anorthosis Web
Neither Anorthosis or AEL could find a way to break the deadlock, leaving both sides frustrated with just a point each

Anorthosis missed the chance to get back into the title fight after a goalless draw with AEL Limassol on Wednesday night in Larnaca.

The draw leaves Anorthosis in fourth place, six points away from leaders Apollon, while AEL stay third, two points from the top and one point behind second-placed Omonia.

The first 15 minutes of the game were a tentative affair, with neither side willing to commit a great number of bodies forward.

Despite this, both Anorthosis and AEL managed to find chances to open the score. Anorthosis forward Giorgi Kvilitaia saw a first-time volley from just inside the penalty area go wide, while his team-mate Nikos Kaltsas fashioned a chance for himself by knocking the ball past AEL left-back Charis Kyriakou but couldn’t get the ball on target in the subsequent shot.

AEL responded in the 16th minute when a solo effort from Matko Babic saw the ball reach Davor Zdravkovski just inside the box, with the North Macedonian’s shot going just over Giorgi Loria’s bar.

Kaltsas was presented with another chance in the 23rd minute, when he was set up for a shot at the edge of AEL’s penalty area by Charles Eloundou. Kaltsas tried to place his shot but couldn’t keep it low enough to find the target.

AEL could have scored a spectacular goal in the 33rd minute when Sito Riera floated a cross from the right hand side towards Anthony Georgiou, but the latter’s volley went just over Loria’s bar.

Anorthosis had the game’s biggest chance in the 74th minute when a pitch perfect Kaltsas cross found Tornike Okriashvili at the near post, but Okriashvili’s close-range header missed the target by inches.

AEL hit back in the 78th minute when an incredible Riera through pass into the box released Ryan Mmaee for a one-on-one but his low shot was blocked by Loria.

Although Anorthosis took the initiative in the final 15 minutes of the game, neither they nor the visitors could find a way to break the deadlock, leaving both sides frustrated with just a point each.

 

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