Cyprus BXL FC steamroll Finland 6-1 to advance to quarter-finals

Cyprus BXL FC secured a spot in the quarter finals last night with an imperious 6-1 victory over Finland, under the masterful guidance of Yiannakis Giangoudakis at the side of regular coach Nikolian. Steamrolling in football is certainly not fun for both teams, but boy did the Cypriots enjoy it last night, making the otherwise compact and solid Finnish team look like putty in their hands! By the end of the first half, Agorakis had already scored a hat trick, and Rossides two. Anastasiou scored the sixth close to the end of the game.

Coming to last night's return leg after the scrappy 1-1 of the first game, Cyprus was prepared for a tough and physical tie that could go to the wire. In the event, things turned out very differently. Five minutes into the game, a beautiful combination between Voudouris, Rossides and Agorakis set up the latter for a beautiful left-foot curler from the edge of the box to get the first one. Another Agorakis shot from distance soon after ended up at the back of the net to get the second. Rossides got the third and fourth after great teamwork and assists from Voudouris and Georgakoudis respectively, and before the end of the half Agorakis secured his hat-trick with a delicious lob over the keeper from 25 meters.

The stuff of dreams? Not quite - 5-0 at half time, against a team that has proven its backbone time and time again in the BXL Euroleague was as real as it could possibly be, and it was the result of some of the best teamwork Cyprus BXL FC has displayed all season, with deadly efficiency up front, and confident, secure play at the back and midfield.

All in all a thoroughly pleasing result, and a fair qualification to the quarter finals for Cyprus BXL FC, where they will be facing Italy. What they will keep from last night is the scoreline, but they will need to keep working and improving if they are to challenge Italy for that semi-final place. There were moments last night were the shape of the team was lost, and patience was missing.

Man of the match for last night goes to, who else, Sakis Agorakis, who effectively decided the course of the game before Finland had a chance to even get into it. Good performances also from Karides, Telemachou and Antonakopoulos in defence, Severis and Anastasiou in the midfield, and Rossides up front.

Starting XI Gogakis, Karides, Antonakopoulos, Telemachou, Louka, Georgakoudis, Severis, Anastasiou, Voudouris, Agorakis, Rossides
Substitutions: Charalambous, R. Giangoudakis, A Leontiou, Noulis, Tsangaris