KOLOSSI, Cyprus (Interstat) — Apollon opened its 1. Division season with a 2-1 victory over rival APOEL on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, at Alphamega Stadium.

The home side overcame a second-half deficit after APOEL’s Konstantinos Laifis broke the deadlock in the 50th minute. Apollon responded with two unanswered goals to secure the win. The result defied a pre-match projection from Interstat, whose simulator had forecast a 1-1 draw. Its ELO system, however, had given Apollon a 72.7% probability to win.

The victory gives Apollon a winning start in league play, while APOEL begins its campaign with a loss.