NICOSIA, Cyprus (Interstat) — APOEL advanced in the Cypriot Cup on Wednesday, surviving a late scare to defeat EN Paralimníou 3-2 in a round of 16 match at Neo GSP Stadium.

The home side, heavily favored before kickoff, was pushed to the final whistle by a visiting team mired in a difficult season. The result extends APOEL’s perfect record in this season’s cup competition to two wins and no losses, while Paralimníou’s cup run ends with a record of one win and one loss.

The match began as many predicted, with APOEL seizing early control. Mathias Tomas opened the scoring in the ninth minute, finishing a swift move to give the hosts a lead. The advantage was doubled in the 22nd minute when Zurab Museliani found the net, seemingly setting the stage for a comfortable evening.

EN Paralimníou, however, refused to capitulate. Against the flow of play, Diego Rosa scored in the 49th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and injecting tension into the contest. The goal was a rare bright moment for a team that now holds a record of one win and 16 losses across all competitions this season.

APOEL, which holds a 7-7-2 record overall, responded to restore its two-goal cushion. Mathias Tomas secured his brace in the 83rd minute, scoring APOEL’s third goal to seemingly seal the victory at 3-1.

The visitors had one final push. Deep into second-half stoppage time, in the 93rd minute, Dimitris Solomou scored for EN Paralimníou, setting up a frantic finale. The final whistle blew shortly after, confirming APOEL’s narrow passage to the next round.

The pregame projection by Interstat’s game simulator had forecast a 3-0 victory for APOEL, and its ELO rating system gave the host club a 90.2% probability to win. The actual scoreline proved tighter, underscoring the unpredictable nature of cup football.

This was the second meeting between the sides in just over a month. APOEL also won the previous encounter 3-0 in league play on Jan. 3.

With the cup match concluded, both teams now turn their focus back to domestic league play. EN Paralimníou, struggling near the bottom of the Cypriot First Division, faces a difficult trip to face AS Omonoia Leukosias on Saturday. APOEL will travel to face Ethnikos Achna on Sunday as it continues to pursue success on multiple fronts.