LARNACA, Cyprus (Interstat) — Cyprus U21 scored in the 18th minute and again in the 81st minute and defeated San Marino U21 2-0 on Tuesday in a home U21 football match. Constantinos Poursaitides opened the scoring for Cyprus U21. Kyriacos Kyriacou added the second goal. Evagoras Charalambous recorded an assist. San Marino U21, the visiting team, finished the match with zero goals. The home side scored in each half and kept the visiting side off the scoreboard.

Cyprus U21 took the lead early and carried it through halftime. Poursaitides scored in the 18th minute, putting the home side ahead after San Marino U21 had been issued a caution. The goal stood as the only scoring play of the first half. San Marino U21 could not answer before the break, and Cyprus U21 went into halftime with a one-goal advantage. The opening goal came after San Marino U21 had been booked in the 17th minute.

San Marino U21 was issued the first yellow card in the 17th minute, when N. Chiaruzzi was booked. One minute later, Cyprus U21 scored through Poursaitides. San Marino U21 continued to pick up cards in the first half. N. Sensoli was shown a yellow card in the 28th minute. M. Valli Casadei was booked in the 35th minute. Cyprus U21 could not add to its lead before halftime, but it maintained its advantage. The first half ended with Cyprus U21 ahead by one goal.

After halftime, Cyprus U21 made a substitution in the 46th minute involving Z. Savva. San Marino U21 waited until the 62nd minute to make its first changes, with three substitutions involving A. Guerra, T. Cervellini and G. Grandoni. Cyprus U21 followed with two substitutions in the 63rd minute involving A. Nikolaou and S. Kontopoulos. I. Avramidis entered for Cyprus U21 in the 74th minute. San Marino U21 made a substitution in the 78th minute involving L. Terenzi. Cyprus U21 substituted C. Poursaitidis in the 79th minute. Poursaitidis had scored the opening goal in the 18th minute. D. Tzouliou was booked for Cyprus U21 in the 79th minute. Kyriacou then scored in the 81st minute. P. Amici of San Marino U21 was booked in the 81st minute. San Marino U21 made a substitution in the 87th minute involving N. Sensoli. K. Evripidou of Cyprus U21 was booked in the 90th minute plus one. F. Bucchi of San Marino U21 was booked in the 90th minute plus three.

Kyriacou’s goal in the 81st minute gave Cyprus U21 a two-goal cushion. Charalambous was credited with an assist in the win. Cyprus U21 held San Marino U21 without a goal over the final minutes, including the added time that produced two yellow cards. The home side finished the match with two goals and a clean sheet. San Marino U21 finished with zero goals.

Poursaitides played 79 minutes and scored one goal. Kyriacou played 90 minutes and scored one goal. Charalambous played 90 minutes and recorded one assist. Their contributions gave Cyprus U21 the goals it needed. San Marino U21 did not have a player score in the match.

The result moved Cyprus U21 to one win and no losses in the competition. Cyprus U21 also moved to one win and no losses across all competitions. San Marino U21 moved to no wins and one loss in the competition. San Marino U21 also moved to no wins and one loss across all competitions. The win gave Cyprus U21 its first victory of the competition, while the loss left San Marino U21 without a win.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cyprus U21 1, San Marino U21 0. Interstat’s ELO system had given Cyprus U21 a 65.3 percent probability to win. The actual result produced a wider margin, with Cyprus U21 scoring twice and San Marino U21 finishing with zero goals.