APOEL defeats AEK 1-0 amid officiating complaints

On May 3, 2026, APOEL secured a 1-0 victory against AEK at the GSP Stadium, with the deciding goal scored by Rosa. Despite the win, APOEL officials publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Latvian referee, Edgars Malcevs. The club called on the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) and the chief refereeing officer to ensure that foreign officials brought to officiate matches are of a higher standard than local referees. APOEL management specifically pointed to a contested penalty situation involving Drazic in the 56th minute. Additionally, the club raised concerns regarding an incident involving a strike against Tomas. APOEL emphasized that their complaints are not merely reaction-based but intended to highlight failures in both on-field officiating and VAR oversight. They stated that this is the first and hope it will be the last time Malcevs is invited to officiate in Cyprus.