As expected, from the first minutes of the match APOEL wanted to come from behind after the loss in Kraków. Wisła, hiding on their half of the pitch, waited for opportunities to counter-attack, but those did not come. With each minute the home team was gaining advantage. Trickovski, Manduca and Ailton wasted good opportunities. Finally, in the 29th minute, APOEL scored a goal. Manduca executed a corner kick aiming for the near post and Pareiko, in a desperate save, carried the ball between the posts.

The home team went with the punch creating three more goal scoring opportunities in just a while, however the result remained unchanged until the end of the first half. In the 54th minute the home team scored their second goal. Marcinho made a perfect pass from the left side of the pitch to Ailton, who scored from a distance of several metres.

Wisła went for broke. In the 71st minute Ivica Iliev lobbed the ball from the corner of the penalty box to Cezary Wilk, who shot at the far post and scored. APOEL, now in trouble, once again rushed in to attack, succeeding in the 87th minute. The goal that brought APOEL into the group stage was scored by Ailton, who received the ball on the 8th metre, turned around and shot past Pareiko's desperate intervention.

APOEL Nikozja – Wisła Kraków 3:1 (1:0)
1:0 Pareiko (sam.) 29'
2:0 Ailton 54'
2:1 wilk 71'
3:1 Ailton 87'

First game: 1:0 for Wisła

APOEL: Chiotis - Poursaitides, Jorge, Kontis, Boaventura (85' Alexandrou) - Pinto, Morais - Trickovski, Marcinho (90' Jahić), Manduca (85' Charalambides), Ailton

Wisła Kraków: Pareiko – Lamey, Jaliens (80' Jovanović), Chavez, Diaz – Sobolewski (58' Iliev), Wilk, Melikson – Małecki (80' Kirm), Genkov, Nunez

Yellow cards: Manduka, Morais, Ailton, Charalambides (APOEL) - Sobolewski, Melikson, Lamey, Nunez, Iliev, Diaz (Wisła)
Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary)

Wisła Kraków SA Press Office