Looking for an away goal after three years
For the third time in its history and for the first time since 2009, APOEL will travel to Serbia as part of its European commitments. Although the blue and yellow of Nicosia have not achieved an away victory against a Serbian team, they carry pleasant memories from the two previous visits to the Balkan country.
Against the two most historic teams of Belgrade and the country, APOEL counts the same number of qualifiers with the ball being painted blue and yellow both times with the replay away from Nicosia. In the summer of 2008, the then champions of Cyprus overcame the resistance of Red Star with a total score of 5-5 and the replay ending in the show with a score of 3-3. While a year later GSP's 2-0 was enough and more than enough despite the fact that Partizan had taken an early lead in the replay with 1-0.
The peculiarity of APOEL's third match against a Serbian team is the fact that the match will be held in the city of Novi Sad and at the Karadorde stadium. Vojvodina managed to manage the schedule for the improvement projects required at their natural home and thus will not have to “go away” against the Sa Pinto team.
APOEL's first trip this year is similar in terms of the design but the destination with the corresponding last year in Sofia, Bulgaria. The departure will take place on the evening of August 1 at 22:00 while the return will take place after the match against Vointonina, with an estimated time of arrival in Cyprus at 5:00 on August 4. Hopefully the result will be the same as APOEL eliminated Botev Plotviv about a year ago.
An important parameter may be the attempt to find an away goal in a European match, after a three years! Last year's two barren draws against Botev and Kyzylzar were followed by a 3-0 away defeat to Jugården. Coupled with the absence from Europe in the summer of 2021, it brings APOEL to have last scored away from the GSP, on September 17, 2020 when they gifted four goals to Kaisar of Kazakhstan.
