Matchday 2.11: E.N. Thoi Lakatamias vs P.O. Ormidias

Cypriot 3rd Division Championship - Phase B (Bottom 8 Playoffs)

Final Score: Thoi 2 - 1 Ormidias

Another match with Ormidias, the fifth and final matchup between us for this season, and going into the game we had lost 3 matches against them (2 of which were cup matches), and won 1 match in the first match in the bottom 8 group.

My personal performance in the first half was very good, and honestly the best football I’ve played since moving overseas over 2 years ago. During this run of games I’ve had over the last 6-weeks, I’ve felt continuous improvement and consistency and can be attributed to my continuous efforts which will only get stronger now. On the ball I was confident and was making good decisions, controlling the game and beginning attacking chances. I’ve had a personal focus on scanning more so I can make better and quicker decisions whilst on the ball, and also when out of possession to anticipate the opposition’s play, and I think it is paying off. A point of improvement I want to work on for my next few games is in the moments of getting tight to the striker, dominating and getting my head first to the ball in the awkward situations rather than having to have my partnering centre-back come across to cover. Not that this happens all the time, but the 1 or 2 times it does I’d rather be more efficient and able to win my personal battle without expending other teammates’ energy. Overall a very strong performance, and after going 2-0 into half-time, Ormidias brought a fight into the second half and we had to defend lots of free-kicks and set-pieces. We conceded from a direct free-kick, the player being an ex-1st Division player in Cyprus who also scored the same goal against us in the opening game of the season back in September.

Another good win for the team, and survival pretty much secured, but we want to win all of the remaining three games to prove who we are. Let’s see how we go.