Occupied by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Turks, Romans and the British, Cyprus today is a deeply divided island.
The southern region forms part of the Republic of Cyprus. Since 1982 the northern region consists of an autonomous area that calls itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Deep rivalries in football exist in Cyprus – the football is passionate, heated and deeply felt.
Football fans in Cyprus are like those in neighboring Greece – passionate and noisy.
With the financial crisis, football on the island was plunged into a deep sense of chaos off the field. Money became a problem leading to accusations of match fixing. Football became a means of making money through betting rings, and match fixing allegations became common.
Things have been just as volatile among fans over the last 10 years. Decisive league matches have been abandoned bets being taken on the time of abandonment.
In the second city of Limassol things are intense between the two main clubs Apollon and AEL. Despite the arrival of another local side ARIS as a challenging force the rivalry is no less complex that it always has been.
Its somewhat less political than that in Nicosia but perplexing referee decisions have been the norm just as in Nicosia.
Questions about the standards of officiating and the measures in place to protect players on the field are a yearly occurrence. This is particularly so in Cyprus a country with huge in game intensity and regular expressions of volatility.
Cyprus is a football country full of raw emotions and fierce rivalries.
All of the football teams in Limassol share the same stadium. But the stadium is split into color lines rather than political symbolism. AEL fans tend to inhabit the area of the stadium with blue and yellow seats. Those who follow Apollon can be found in the blue and white seats that surround the athletics track.
The green of Aris simply is not reflected.
At the moment the Tsision Stadium is being redeveloped.
The construction of a new Limassol Arena has commenced although it is likely that it will not be ready for football until 2019. Again, it is likely that all three local clubs will share the stadium.
Appollon’s emblem represents the Olympian God Apollo from Greek mythical legend – considered the god of sun, poetry and music. The colors of the team are blue and white – colors which represent the the Greek national flag and modern Cypriot unification.
On April 14th, 1954, a general assembly of members proposed the foundation of an athletic association called “APOLLON LIMASSOL”. As of October 1955, the Cypriot Football Association (C.F.A) included Apollon in the 2nd division.
Apollon was formed as a means of providing young men with the opportunity to partake in athletic pursuits.
Despite early struggles, Apollon has been competing in the first division and can point to three Championship wins (1991, 1994, 2006) and nine cups victories (1966, 1967, 1986, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017).
Recent years have also seen very successful participation in UEFA European competition winning several important games against noted foreign names.
Perhaps the best season was 2013-14 season where wins were achieved over both Nice and Legia Warsaw. A 0-0 draw was also attained against Lazio in the group stages, a group that also included the Turks of Trabzonspor. The following season Apollon proved that this achievement was not a one off as they defeated Lokomotiv Moscow in the Europa League play off round.
The current side is a mixture of South American players (Brazilian and Argentine footballers), Cypriots and Portuguese. At the hub of the side is the hugely experienced Maltese international Andre Schembri who provides the side with numerous assists and goal-scoring experience.
Like many clubs in Greece, Apollon fans have a deep association with the area they both enter and inhabit inside the local stadium. Apollon supporters have become synonymous with GATE-1 where the most fanatical members gather.
Current Cypriot Cup holders after a final win over APOEL in May, the club also were winners of the 2016 edition of the domestic trophy defeating Omonia in a tense final which ended in violence.
Around 400 Apollon fans invaded the pitch and proceeded to attack the Omonia supporters. Tear gas was used to disperse fans who were on the pitch after the 2-1 win. Firecrackers, flares and sticks were thrown at the Omonia fans.
If such intensity is the norm at domestic affairs it is no surprise that this Europa league qualifying 2nd leg tie also witnessed passion and drama. Before the tie, Apollon manager Sofronis Avgousti called for visitors Aberdeen FC to be met with ‘a furnace of noise’ at the AEK Larnaca Arena which hosted the tie.
By half time with his team already 1-0 up that call seemed to have been heeded. Around 20 flares were lit in the Apollon end by Gate 1.
The teams were taken off the field of play by the Swiss referee with many items being thrown at and near the Aberdeen goalkeeper.
Apollon had gone ahead half way through the opening period; a half that the Cypriot side had dominated from kick off in the intense evening heat.
Aberdeen – leading 2-1 from the first leg – found it hard in the Cypriot heat.
This struggle to come to terms with the occasion proved doubly hard due to several incidences of play acting by the Apollon side which the referee simply never dealt with effectively.
Despite being forced to play some 75 km from Limassol, Apollon handed the occasion well and eventually ran out 2-0 winners with the clinching goal coming in the final 10 minutes.
Aberdeen had few answers and looked a beaten side from very early on being unable to probe the home goal with any sort of conviction. The Scottish side never got to grips with the fervent occasion, the surrounds or the extreme demands of the tie.
At full-time Cypriot riot police appeared and tear gas along with batons were used in an effort to get supporters to vacate the stadium.
This was a colorful occasion played in the small but modern AEK Arena in Larnaca with all fans contributing to the event – red, white and blue contrasting well with the green and yellow seated interiors. Around 500 visiting fans travelling to Cyprus enjoying the sun in a hospitable island and contributed in terms of color.
But it was the home Apollon supporters who took all the credit.
The support they offered forced the home team over the line towards a well-deserved victory. An assortment of vociferous chants and brilliantly organised pyrotechnic tifo displays proved hugely beneficial to take Apollon over the line to the win.
