THREE minutes of added time have been allocated by the referee so not long left for APOEL to find an equaliser. Indeed, it is Anderlecht who are charging forward here, but Acheampong wastes another opportunity by dribbling straight into a couple of defenders.
89'
Last alteration of the match from Anderlecht as Massimo Bruno replaced Chipciu.
88'
M. Bruno enters the game and replaces A. Chipciu.
SAVE FROM RUBEN! The Anderlecht goalkeeper makes a great save in between the sticks to deny APOEL which also then sees the visitors able to counter. Hanni leads the charge and it is Acheampong who eventually receives the ball to feet, but the subsequent strike is easily saved by Waterman!
86'
U. Spajić gets yellow.
Spajic is also booked.
Dendoncker breaks down the right this time and link up well with Appiah before the latter sends a cross into the box which is cleared. APOEL break free on the speedy counterattack, but Chipciu is forced to take one for the team and commits the foul on Barral to see a yellow card.
85'
A. Chipciu gets yellow.
83'
There is only one team who look like scoring at the moment, and that is APOEL. Anderlecht have moved into deep defensive positions now as they look to take this narrow 1-0 lead into the second leg next week, but there is no room for complacency as the visitors tonight are starting to turn up the heat!
81'
Another Anderlecht change sees the solitary goalscorer, Stanciu, leave the pitch to be replaced by Frank Acheampong.
80'
F. Acheampong enters the game and replaces N. Stanciu.
Within the past five minutes the balls being delivered into the box from APOEL have been much better. The latest comes from a corner which actually allows Artymatas to send an awkward looking half-volley bouncing towards goal, but unfortunately for him it is straight down the throat of Ruben.
78'
I. Kiese Thelin gets yellow.
STUNNING SAVE FROM RUBEN! Barral collects the ball into feet inside the box and uses his strength to turn his marker into space before lashing a left-footed strike towards the near corner. The Anderlecht goalkeeper, despite being unsighted, somehow gets down to palm behind for the corner!
Thelin is booked now.
76'
Lago has been excellent since being introduced to the action down the left and this time gains a yard on the defender to whip a cracking cross to the front post. De Camargo gets ahead of his marker to latch on to the rare decent delivery, but his glancing header goes forcefully the wrong side of the post. Unlucky in the end.
Minute
Description
74'
APOEL are lacking quality in key areas and it is really costing them. At times, Anderlecht have been there for the taking after committing too many men forward, only for them to be let off the hook following various misplaced passes from the home side.
72'
K. Artymatas enters the game and replaces L. Ebecilio.
Third and final change from the Cypriot outfit and it sees Ebecilio leave the pitch to be replaces by Kostakis Artymatas. Last throw of the dice from the APOEL coaching staff!
71'
If this game finishes at 1-0, then at least APOEL have next week to try and grab an away goal back in Belgium. However, if they finish like they have been tonight then they have no chance in going through - they just can't get the ball in the back of the net!
69'
That is an awful miss from Barral! The substitute, Lago, does superbly well down the left wing to dash into space, hit the byline, and launch a teasing cross to the back post! Barral takes in to feet, but from a tight angle with markers all around him, fires wide of the post when a team-mate is SCREAMING for the tap-in just inside! The two APOEL players fall to the floor in desperation!
67'
Z. Milanov gets yellow.
There has not been a collection of awful corner-kick deliveries quite like that on display from APOEL here tonight. They have had a tonne of chances to get decent balls into the box, but basically every one of them now has either hit the first man or went desperately long out of play. The players inside the box must be tearing their hair out.
Milanov sees yellow.
65'
The game has hit a bit of a lull in the past couple of minutes which should actually play into APOEL's hands as at the beginning of the half it looked like Anderlecht were going to score at the very least another goal. A much more positive 10 minutes from the hosts now, though.
63'
D. Appiah gets yellow.
First booking of the match for Anderlecht and it goes to Appiah, with APOEL also getting the free-kick in a nice area. However, it is AGAIN a desperately poor delivery as the attackers are left frustrated.
61'
One of Vander's first duties since coming on is to take a free-kick basically at the corner flag on the right flank. Initially, the substitute sends a poor delivery into the box which is easily cleared, and then lets Anderlecht off the hook completely by pulling back Najar for the foul. A good minute or so there from him...
59'
I. Kiese Thelin enters the game and replaces Ł. Teodorczyk.
First change of the match from Wieler as he introduces Isaac Kiese Thelin in place of the largely ineffective Teodorczyk. The youngster coming on certainly has pace on him, so keep an eye.
57'
Oh, De Camargo what are you doing? A promising APOEL counter ends with the ball being looped high into the box. Barral looks poised to pull the trigger at the back post, but is actually foiled by his strike partner who nods the ball away whilst trying to desperately stretch to divert a header on target!
55'
Vander enters the game and replaces G. Efrem.
Second substitution of the match from APOEL as Efrem, who may indeed have not came out of that fall unscathed after all, leave the action to be replaced by Vander.
54'
Gianniotas sends another corner-kick into the box, with the front post the target this time. Somehow, APOEL fail to find the back of the net even after a mammoth scramble just in front of goal in which two or three shots are heroically blocked by the Anderlecht defence!
52'
A small break in play at the moment as Efrem goes down off the ball clutching his knee after taking a nasty, nasty fall. He landed extremely awkwardly and it is falls like that which can sometimes can ligament damage, but SOMEHOW he comes away from the situation unscathed. That is incredible - what a lucky boy!
50'
Hanni moves away from his central attacker position and collects the ball on the left channel before jinking past the defender with a lovely bit of skill. He looks up and reverses a cross back inside towards the penalty spot, but again APOEL manage to clear by the skin of their teeth.
48'
Anderlecht have started the second half like a house on fire and seem eager to put this tie to bed as early as the first leg. Teodorczyk dances his way into the penalty area, trying desperately to find that elusive yard of space to pull the trigger, only to be forced to pass back out wide to Appiah. The cross is then sent into the middle, but Morais is there to clear with a commanding header.
46'
The second period is under way!
44'
Nuno Morais gets yellow.
Just about the softest yellow card you will see in all of the Europa League action tonight now as Morais goes into the book for a miniscule shove in the back on the goalscorer, Stanciu. Not only will he need to be careful in this game, but the APOEL captain will now MISS the return leg next week.
42'
A scrappy bit of play on the edge of the Anderlecht box now as both teams unintentionally trade possession with wayward passes and attempted clearances. Eventually Morais picks up a bouncing ball with his back to goal and attempts to recycle a cross back into the danger area over his head, but Ruben does well to proactively come off his line to claim out of the air.
40'
Roberto Lago enters the game and replaces Iñaki Astiz.
APOEL have been forced into an early change as Roberto Lago enters the action to replace Astiz.
39'
Morais may have been unlucky with APOEL's best chance of the match so far, but he needs to be much better in possession in the middle of the park. This time he panics while under pressure and attempts a speculative pass over the top of the Anderlecht defence which is easily blocked on the route through. Barral was free, as well!
37'
The latest entry of the Spajic/De Camargo feud now as the latter does nothing but stand his ground during an aerial battle. The Anderlecht defender jumps on his opponent, wins the header, falls akwardly on to his back, and somehow earns the foul in the process. De Camargo is bemused at that one.
35'
Gianniotas is involved again for APOEL as he opens up his stride down the right wing during a promising counter from the hosts. However, they are forced to settle for another corner as the subsequent cross into the box is turned behind the goal by the retreating Najar.
33'
APOEL have responded fairly well to going behind and definitely have the quality to get themselves back into this. Set-pieces look to be a potential source for an equaliser, as proven by Morais' very unlucky header moments ago!
31'
APOEL HIT THE WOODWORK! A free-kick is swung superbly into the middle of the box and Morais rises high to bullet a header at goal which Ruben somehow turns on to the post! All the chaos soon ends though as the referee blows for a foul, or potentially an offside. That was some save from the Anderlecht stopper, even if the whistle had gone.
29'
N. Stanciu has scored a goal for Anderlecht! Assist by A. Chipciu.
GOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLL FOR ANDERLECHT! The visitors open the scoring! An absolutely dreadful pass out of the back from Astiz sees Anderlecht win the ball and counter with pace down the left and into the middle. After some neat interplay, Chipciu reverses a pass to the edge of the box for Stanciu who displays lovely composure to guide an attempt into the bottom left corner! One-nil
A really smart assist for Chipciu. Most players would have just blasted a cross inside!
27'
We are just beyond the midway point of the first half now and what has became clear is that these are two relatively evenly matched sides. Anderlecht enjoyed the better opening to the game and arguably have the better individuals, but APOEL are no mugs and on home turf anything can happen. No small feat eliminating Athletic Bilbao from the competition!
25'
After a small delay to sort some pushing inside the box, Gianniotas steps up to fire a corner to the front post for APOEL. Astiz looks to get on the end of it and almost does so after a miscommunication between Ruben between the sticks and one of his defenders, but nobody from the hosts can take down the bouncing ball to pull the trigger!
23'
Tielemans definitely seems to be the main man for Anderlecht tonight as he has been tasked with pretty much every set-piece. On this occasion he actually receives a free-kick short from someone else, but then only succeeds in sending a blistering strike high into the stand behind the goal. That was fairly ambitious, that...
21'
Appiah goes on an overlapping run down the right wing for Anderlecht and, after a few passes in the central area, picks up possession again inside the box near the byline. However, all the intensity leaves the attack as he eventually runs the ball poorly out of play whilst trying to jink past the defender. A nice idea, but not when there is team-mates waiting for the cross inside.
19'
APOEL are given their first corner of the match which gives the home fans reason to get out of their seats in expectancy. However, the delivery is desperately poor, forcing them to sit back down. It was so bad Anderlecht actually break free with a dangerous-looking counter!
17'
Gianniotas, who scored in the previous round against Athletic Bilbao, attempts to affect the game positively here as he goes on a marauding run down the right touchline. However, Najar is no slouch himself and successfully keeps up the pace before eventually earning a throw-in out of the winger.
15'
Anderlecht kind of gain their first shot on goal as Teodorczyk slides in a strike from the left of the box, but he had to get through the defender to do it which results in the free-kick being given to APOEL. Waterman made the save relatively comfortably anyway.
13'
Much, much better from APOEL at the moment as they are just starting to find their feet in terms of possession. However, after a few neat passes, Iannou gifts the ball back to Anderlecht with an attempted pass through the middle to De Camargo which is easily intercepted by the defender.
11'
There is an interesting feud developing between De Camargo and Spajic, with both players not exactly leaving anything to chance with their tackling. On this occasion the APOEL comes out on top following a strong challenge, but is eventually penalised by the referee for the foul. That looked harsh.
9'
Another set-piece for Anderlecht now, which Tielemans will take from the corner flag. The talented Belgian steps up to whip a wicked cross deep into the middle of the box and APOEL really struggle to deal with it, failing to clear with a couple of rash hacks into the air. Luckily for the hosts, Anderlecht are unable to capitalise.
7'
Within the past couple of minutes APOEL have managed to venture into the Anderlecht half but Barral and De Camargo need to work a lot harder to make the ball stick up top. Spajic is giving the latter zero time in possession whatsoever.
5'
This has been very impressive from the Belgian outfit in these very early stages. The APOEL fans were obviously in full voice pre-match to try and catalyse something from the players, but the visitors have been quick to curb any ascendancy thanks to their pressure in the first five minutes.
3'
A positive start to the match from Anderlecht who are taking the game to the hosts early on. Tielemans stands over a free-kick down the left wing and steps up to fire a dangerous delivery into the opposition penalty area, but APOEL survive on this occasion after the clearance.
1'
We are under way in Cyprus!
Good evening football fans! Welcome to LIVE coverage of the Europa League last-16 clash between APOEL and Anderlecht from the Neo GSP in Nicosia.
TEAM NEWS...
We are witnessing a little bit of history tonight as this is the first time APOEL will face Anderlecht in a competitive UEFA fixture. The two sides will, naturally, face each other again in the return leg seven days from now, but who will take the more favourable scoreline into the game in Belgium?
Anderlecht, meanwhile, did things in a reversed fashion to APOEL in that they won the first leg 2-0 against Zenit. In the second leg in St. Petersburg, the Russian outfit actually took a 3-0 lead as things looked desperate for Rene Weiler and his charges, but a dramatic last-minute strike from Isaac Thelin ultimately secured the 3-1 away result and the aggregate victory in the process.
The two sides featuring tonight made it to this stage of the competition thanks to wins in the last round over, arguably, much more favoured opposition. APOEL, following a commendable 3-2 away loss at San Mames in leg one, successfully secured a 2-0 second-leg win over Athletic Bilbao a couple of weeks ago with Pieros Soteriou and Giannis Gianniotas grabbing the vital two goals on that occasion.
Half-time at the Neo GSP. Anderlecht have been the much better side in this Europa League knockout stage clash and deservedly go into the break with the narrow 1-0 lead following a goal from Stanciu. APOEL are by no means out of this, but they will definitely need to improve in the final third. Second period to come.
Full-time in Cyprus. Anderlecht take a narrow lead into the second leg of this Europa League tie next week as they overcome APOEL with a 1-0 victory, with Stanciu grabbing the only goal of the match in the first half. Thanks for joining us, see you next time!
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