Apollon secures 4-2 victory against APOEL in first leg of cup semi-final
On April 22, 2026, Apollon Limassol defeated APOEL 4-2 in the first leg of the Coca-Cola Cup semi-finals held at the Alphamega Stadium. Apollon took the lead in the 10th minute due to an own goal by Stafylidis, followed by goals from Thomas in the 33rd minute and Marques in the 38th minute. APOEL managed to score via Mancini in the 22nd minute and Olayinka in the 86th minute. Apollon manager Hernan Losada praised his team's first-half performance but urged caution ahead of the second leg. The refereeing team, led by Mohammed Al-Hakim, utilized VAR to overturn a red card against Escriche to a yellow. The return match is scheduled for April 29, 2026, at GSP Stadium, where the winner will face Pafos FC in the final. Both sides expressed concerns regarding their defensive performance and officiating decisions respectively.