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The
team with the most
fans in Cyprus!!!
Historical Information
Omonia
Nicosia, a team that was founded just after the Second World War,(1948) is known
to be one of the best teams the islands ever had. The club still holds the
record for the most trophies ever won by a Cypriot club.
Omonia Nicosia first won the Championship in 1961 when they finished the league
first 7-points above Anorthosis Famagusta. Omonia Nicosia's dominance in Cypriot
football, however, didn't come until 1974 when after they won the double they
went on to win the championship 6 consecutive times, a record that until today
remains unbeaten.
During those years Omonia Nicosia had produced arguably the greatest Cypriot
footballer ever in Sotiris Kaiafas. Kaiafas went on to win the golden boot in
Europe after he finished top scorer in Europe in 1976. Omonia Nicosia have also
proven to be worthy adversaries in Europe and still hold the record for the
biggest ever win over Ajax Amsterdam in a European game when they defeated the
Dutch Dynamo's 4-0 in 1979.
Omonia Nicosia's success in Cypriot football also brought the German Sports
Magazine "Kickers" to vote Omonia Nicosia as one of the top 100 clubs
in the World. After the departure of Kaiafas, Omonia continued to make excellent
players like, Kanaris, Mavris, Petsas, Charitou and Evagoras Christophi who went
on to captain Omonia Nicosia to success during the 80's.
In 1992, Omonia Nicosia signed another great top scorer for the club when the
Hungarian Joseph Juriac joined the club. Juriac went on to be the Cyprus top
scorer and his departure in 1994 from the club lead to the arrival of another
striking sensation only 4 years later called Rainer Rauffmann who is still at
the club.
The German has been the top scorer in Cyprus for the past four years. The latest
Cypriot star of Omonia Nicosia was Costas Malekos who is now at APOEL Nicosia.
Malekos, who is a popularity figure in Cyprus, was undoubtedly one of the stars
of Omonia Nicosia during the 90's.
The Nicosia club also holds a magnificent record which boasts five doubles
achieved in 1972, 1974, 1981, 1982 and 1983, a record never beaten by any other
football club in Cyprus. In 2000, Omonia Nicosia won the Cup after a 6-year wait
for a trophy triumph and have put at ease the fans who began to grow impatient
with their club. The Nicosia side to this day remains as one for the strongest
sides on the island and also remains the only side to have won the Cyprus Cup 4
times in a row during the years between 1980 and 1984.
Last season, no one could deny Omonia Nicosia as they put on a late surge
halfway through the season after the influential injection of the new coach,
Henk Houwart, who carved Omonia Nicosia into lightening thrust side that bolted
up the ranks to snatch the title defeating the title holders, Anorthosis
Famagusta, 3-1 in the most crucial game of the season.
The celebrations were intense at the end of the season with Omonia Nicosia
stating that they will target the double next season.
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Last
updated: 11/11/2002 15:42:23
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