APOEL NICOSIA’S DREAM Champions League run continued after they defeated Lyon 4-3 on penalties in Cyprus tonight.

The hosts won 1-0 in 90 minutes to level the tie 1-1, before extra-time ended goalless, sending the contest to spot-kicks. The Cypriot outfit advanced 4-3 in the shootout, with Michel Bastos’ spot kick saved by APOEL goalkeeper Dionisis Chiotis.

It was the Cypriots who scored the only goal of the match after only seven minutes when Gustavo Manduca – who was dismissed later in extra time – sent the packed home support into raptures.

Ivan Jovanovic’s side were not merely defensive spectators thereafter, but it was the visiting Lyon who did much of the pressing for the remainder, for no result.

APOEL started the encounter with a stance far removed from their usual dour, defensive approach, and within 10 minutes they had their reward as they got back on terms on aggregate.  Constantinos Charalambidis took advantage of very sloppy defending from the French side, and after Anthony Reveillere failed miserably to deal with the Cyprus international’s cross, Manduca converted from close range.

Lyon steadied to enjoy the better of the first half, though they rarely tested Chiotis.  The goalkeeper’s misjudgement of an Ederson cross forced him to produce a fine stretching save, and minutes later Bastos headed over after Lisandro had finally got behind the home defence.

The best chance for Lyon, though, came seven minutes before the break, when Bastos’ centre was met by the head of Ederson, whose effort glanced centimetres wide.

Apoel’s Gustavo Manduca (right) challenges Lyon’s Michel Bastos. (Pic: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Despite their attacking play, Lyon looked lethargic at the back and could on more than one occasion have been caught. Charalambidis hit the side netting when well placed, and just before the interval Esteban Solari had a shot kicked clear by Hugo Lloris.

The second half was expectedly a nervous one for both sides, with tensions running high from the outset, when the referee overlooked a physical clash between Cris and Marcelo Oliveira. It was the Cypriots who made the better impression early on, though it was Lyon’s Aly Cissokho who went closest to beating Lloris as his header skimmed his own bar.

With 20 minutes remaining, Charalambidis made another deadly burst down the right channel, but his dangerous low cross was touched wide by Solari, who should have at least got a shot on target.

Lisandro went closest for Remi Garde’s men, as he was left free at the far post to aim a header towards the corner of the net, though Chiotis got a fingertip on the effort to turn it wide. Paulo Jorge nearly diverted a Kallstrom free kick into his own net soon after the resumption in extra-time.

Once more chances were limited, with neither side over-committing forward, though it was the French side that offered the greater threat as their hosts tired.  Indeed, this was the primary cause of Manduca’s second yellow card, which saw him dismissed with 115 minutes on the clock.

Even without their talisman, APOEL were so buoyant they progressed to the quarter-finals, with Bastos missing the crucial Lyon kick after the home side hit the back of the net with each of their four penalties to send the crowd into hysterics.

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