They have approached other times in recent years, without succeeding. At Apollo, however, they feel more strongly than ever that this is their year. And how can they not feel it after the derby with AEL?
Even with half the team out (the opponents had several absences, but not so many), Alexander Tsorniger's team managed to get its fifth consecutive victory, against an opponent who was playing -literally- his last card for the six . And he managed it with a reversal, at 90 ′!
This is a victory that not only maximizes the psychology and dynamics of the blue and whites but also, at the same time, has created tremendous scoring data for Apollon, who has already “locked” his entry into the playoffs as a champion. The Limassol team took full advantage of the losses that AEK and Aris had and increased its distance to eight points from the second yellow-greens and to nine from the third fellow citizens! At the same time, Apollon is at +11 from APOEL and at +13 from Anorthosis, teams that have one game less (between them, next Thursday).
In fact, putting on the scales the program of the last two games, it is absolutely visible the possibility that even the blue and whites will enter the playoffs with a double-digit difference in points! Apollon has to face PAEEK in Makareio and Anorthosis in Tsirio, while the second AEK has two derbies (APOEL, AEL) and Aris also has difficult games (Omonia, Paphos).
The excellent scoring data, by themselves, might not have given him such a big lead for the title, if it were not accompanied by the absolutely convincing image of the team on the field that this time he has everything he needs to reach the end. Apollon seems unstoppable, as after the defeat by AEK in the first game of 2022, he reacted with five consecutive three-pointers, while three of the last four came with goals in the last minutes, which shows the metal of the team and the determination of the players to make this championship their own. If we add the victory over AEL in the cup, Apollon has won four of the last six matches in this way.
At the same time, all this was achieved with a large number of absences (and key executives) in each game as in some “magical” way Zorniger always manages to find solutions, to get things from players who were not expected to get so much and to present a team. who goes “train” regardless of who he has on the field.
Of course, Apollo knows that much remains to be done to reach their great goal and that nothing has been decided. Based on all the above data, however, it is understood that all the odds are on his side. And now he has reached a point where even his own fans are wondering… “if not this year, when?”
