APOEL’s victory over Olympique Lyon on Wednesday night, making it the first Cypriot team to reach the last eight of the UEFA Champions league, appeared to have lifted at least temporarily the doom and gloom hanging over the island.In addition to thousands of fans bursting into celebrations on the streets of the capital in the early hours of yesterday, politicians spent much of the day gushing over the team, while reporters described the victory as “miraculous,” “unbelievable,” and “amazing”.A correspondent in France for state broadcaster CyBC said that French sports journalists were flabbergasted at “disaster striking” from a team they “thought was mediocre... 10 comments

APOEL beat Olympique Lyon 4-3 on penalties in a late-night thriller to reach the Champions League quarter-finals and become the first Cypriot team to make the last eight of any European competition. Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette and Michel Bastos had the key spot-kicks saved by Dionisios Chiotis, who was also unlucky that Lisandro Lopez’s penalty went in off his back, to prompt jubilant scenes in Nicosia. Gustavo Manduca, sent off in extra time for a second booking, had earlier netted at the far post on nine minutes after Constantinos Charalambides had slid in a cross as hosts APOEL levelled the aggregate scores at 1-1 after losing the first leg 1-0... 15 comments

ENGLAND’S caretaker manager Stuart Pearce would be happy to lead the team at Euro 2012 but still does not feel he has enough experience to take the job on a permanent basis.The 49-year-old, who named his squad on Thursday for next week's friendly with Netherlands, has been put in charge by the English FA on a one-off basis but is available should the widely reported appointment of Harry Redknapp not materialise."For me to look at a long-term situation is difficult but the one thing that is sure, whatever happens in the summer, I have made it clear to the FA that I am more than happy to take the team next week and if they need me to, to the finals," Pearce told reporters."Beyond that, at this stage of my development, it's not for me... Read on