Cyprus BXL FC beats Sweden 2-1 ending their three year unbeaten record!

22 March 2012: the day when Sweden’s imperious 42-game unbeaten run in the BXL Euroleague came to an end. The boys from Cyprus were the culprits, beating the 2009-10 champions 2-1 in a cliffhanger game that will stay in collective memory for many years to come. Voudouris and Severis were the scorers of two magnificent goals for the Cypriots, who can deservedly look at the final stretch of the championship with more ambition.

The game took place in the wake of the cup tie between the two teams, where Sweden generally dominated the game and got a deserved 3-1 win.

But last night was a different story: the Cypriots surprised the Swedes with sustained pressure over three quarters of the pitch, their defensive and midfield lines positioned much higher and the attacking four not allowing Sweden breathing time for their trademark buildup play.

The results were immediately apparent as Sweden was forced into giving the ball back to Cyprus in successive mistakes. Time was passing and the attacking line of Cyprus was becoming more confident, creating several good chances and culminating in a beautiful first goal, that came from a Georgakoudis free kick and an unstoppable header from Voudouris into the top corner. Sweden managed to equalise close to the end of the first half, but the game had a long way to go.

Buoyed by their equaliser, Sweden came into the second half more determined and managed to push Cyprus into its own half. For the first fifteen minutes they had the upper hand, and created some good opportunities that did not materialise into anything concrete.

Cyprus BXL FC defended brilliantly during this time, and, weathering the storm, twenty minutes into the half they struck with a precision that was clinical. An extraordinary diagonal ball from Anastasiades sliced the Swedish defence wide open for Severis to make a run down the right flank into the box, and finish with a lethal shot into the top-right corner (photo below)

The scoreline seemed too good to be true, but the Cypriots kept a cool head and defended with a passion that was astounding even by their standards. Dellopoulos and Antonakopoulos in central defence were invincible, winning every single duel against waves of Swedish attacks, Karides and Orphanides complementing their great work on the flanks, and Gogakis in goal was once again being nothing short of INSPIRATIONAL for the rest of the team.

Even when they lost Telemachou with a second yellow card, their morale did not falter for a second. Nothing could take that victory away from them, and the final whistle sealed one of the biggest victories in their seven-year history – punctuated and underlined by the ability and the achievement of their great opponent.

Man of the match for this game goes to Gogakis and Panikos and Rossides and Antonakopoulos and Papoutsas and Gogos and Anastasiades and Charalambous and Karides and Severis and Noulis and Tsangaris and Georgakoudis and Dellopoulos and Voudouris and Giangoudakis and Orphanides and Volpi and Telemachou and Leontiou and Trikoutsis.
All 22 of them were brilliant, even those that supported their teammates from the bench but didn’t get a chance to play.

Starting XI – Gogakis, Karides, Antonakopoulos, Dellopoulos, Orphanides, Telemachou, Voudouris, Papoutsas, Anastasiades, Georgakoudis, Rossides

Next game for Cyprus BXL FC is on Thursday 29 March against Poland at the ISB.