Cyprus, lowly and predictable. Two clubs dominated the country’s football and the ‘big’ league, introduced two years back was not changing anything. It was decided to reduce it to the old 14-team format – like the increase, it was to be done gradually: 2 teams relegated and one promoted until the number 14 was reached. Thus, only the champions of the Second Division got promotion this season.
The honour went to Keravnos (Strovolos)
Not an young club – founded in 1926 – it was insignificant, so promotion was a rare moment of success. It was unlikely to establish itself among the best, let alone to become a force, but still a success for the modest club from a town written both Strovolos and Strovolou. Of course, from today’s point of view the promotion is strange: there is no such club nowadays – not playing football anyway. There is strong basketball team instead.
Going down to second division were the last two in First Division – Digenis Akritas Morphou was the outsider, ending with 18 points and last. 15th place went to Nea Salamina Famagusta, may be because of bad luck. They fought hard to survive, but finished with 26 points. 5 clubs had 27 and two – 28. This meant that half the league was preoccupied only with basic survival. Nea Salamina failed to earn a single point… they had superior goal-difference than 4 of of the 5 clubs with 27 points, but… failed to get this precious point and down they went.
Nothing spectacular in the higher part of the table – suffice to say that the bronze medalists, Alki (Larnaca) finished with 7 more points than Nea Salamina and 11 points less than the 2nd placed team. It was just the usual race between the rivals from the capital city APOEL and Omonia. APOEL won the most games in the league – 20 – but lost 6. Omonia lost only 3 and at the end that made the difference – APOEL lost the title by a point. They finished with 44, Omonia with 45 points.
Nothing new, then… 9th title for Omonia, but also very significant 6th in a row – big dominance of Omonia, constant champions, a rare run of so many consecutive titles. There was no stopping Omonia.
Unchangeable champions – what more to say. Nothing… largely because the players made any sense only in Cyprus. Coached by the Bulgarian Petar Argirov, one of the many Bulgarian coaches, who worked in Cyrpus in the 1970s and 1980s, and having the biggest Cypriot star Kaiafas to score goals. The only known name abroad.
Omonia did not reach the Cup final and had to be satisfied with one trophy – APOEL were determined to get some revenge and a trophy. The other finalist was AEL (Limassol). They were not a factor in the championship – 9th place – so a Cup would have been nice… The final was dramatic and went into overtime. Only then APOEL managed to prevail – 2-1.
Not an easy victory, but – 11th Cup and second in a row. At the end, it was the same as ever… Omonia with the one trophy and APOEL with the other.