2016–17 Cypriot First Division
The 2016–17 Cypriot First Division was the 78th season of the Cypriot top-level football league. The season began on 20 August 2016 and ended on 21 May 2017.[9] The fixtures were announced on 7 July 2016.[10][11] APOEL were the defending champions.
APOEL were crowned champions for the 26th time and a fifth time in a row, securing the title after beating title arch-rivals Omonia 3–1 at the GSP Stadium on 13 May 2017.[12]
Teams
Promotion and relegation (pre-season)
Ayia Napa were relegated at the end of the first-phase of the 2015–16 season after finishing in the bottom two places of the table. They were joined by Pafos FC
, who finished at the bottom of the second-phase relegation group.
The relegated teams were replaced by 2015–16 Second Division champions Karmiotissa, runners-up AEZ Zakakiou and third-placed team Anagennisi Deryneia.
Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2016–17 Cypriot First Division teams.
- Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
| Team | Location | Stadium[13][14] | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
AEK
|
Larnaca | AEK Arena
|
7,400 |
| AEL | Limassol | Tsirion Stadium
|
13,331 |
| AEZ | Zakaki, Limassol | Pafiako Stadium
|
9,394 |
| Anagennisi | Deryneia, Famagusta | Tasos Markou Stadium | 5,800 |
| Anorthosis | Larnaca | Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium | 10,230 |
| APOEL | Nicosia | GSP Stadium | 22,859 |
Apollon
|
Limassol | Tsirion Stadium | 13,331 |
| Aris | Limassol | Tsirion Stadium | 13,331 |
| Doxa | Peristerona, Nicosia | Makario Stadium | 16,000 |
| Ermis | Aradippou, Larnaca | Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium | 10,230 |
| Ethnikos | Achna, Famagusta | Dasaki Stadium | 7,000 |
| Karmiotissa | Pano Polemidia, Limassol | GSZ Stadium | 13,032 |
| Nea Salamina | Larnaca | Ammochostos Stadium | 5,500 |
| Omonia | Nicosia | GSP Stadium | 22,859 |
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Head coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEK |  Imanol Idiakez
|
David Català
|
Puma
|
A.J.K. |
| AEL | Bruno Baltazar
|
 Marios Nicolaou
|
Nike | Kepaky |
| AEZ | Demetris Demetriou
|
Andreas Mammides
|
Luanvi | CRI Group |
| Anagennisi | Zouvanis Zouvani
|
Giorgos Giannakou
|
Eldera | Kymco |
| Anorthosis |  Ronny Levy
|
João Victor
|
Macron | Olympia |
| APOEL | Thomas Christiansen
|
Nektarios Alexandrou
|
Nike | Pari-Match |
| Apollon | Sofronis Avgousti
|
Giorgos Vasiliou
|
Puma | Carabao
|
| Aris | Nikolas Martides
|
Christos Theophilou
|
Nike | Europcar |
| Doxa | Loukas Hadjiloukas
|
Edmar
|
Joma | Murphy's |
| Ermis | Carlos Corberán
|
 Cristian Sîrghi
|
Legea | Mybet |
| Ethnikos |  Valdas Ivanauskas
|
Christos Poyiatzis
|
Legea | — |
| Karmiotissa | Liasos Louka
|
 Giannis Taralidis
|
GEMS | MoneySafe |
| Nea Salamina | Toni Conceição
|
Giannis Skopelitis
|
GEMS | Vitex |
| Omonia | Ioakim Ioakim (caretaker)
|
Renato Margaça
|
Puma | Gree |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nea Salamina | Giorgos Lagkaditis
|
End of tenure as caretaker | End of 2015–16 season | Pre-season | Eugen Neagoe
|
6 May 2016[16] |
| Anorthosis | Neophytos Larkou
|
End of contract | End of 2015–16 season | Antonio Puche
|
17 May 2016[17] | |
| APOEL | Georgios Kostis
|
End of tenure as caretaker | End of 2015–16 season | Thomas Christiansen
|
1 June 2016[18] | |
| AEK | Demetris Demetriou
|
End of tenure as caretaker | End of 2015–16 season | Imanol Idiakez
|
31 May 2016[19] | |
| Omonia |  Vladan Milojević
|
End of contract | End of 2015–16 season |  John Carver
|
4 June 2016[20] | |
| Aris | Kostas Kaiafas
|
End of contract | End of 2015–16 season | Thalis Theodoridis
|
24 June 2016[21] | |
| Nea Salamina | Eugen Neagoe
|
Sacked | 19 September 2016[22] | 11th | Staikos Vergetis
|
20 September 2016[23] |
| Ethnikos | Danilo Dončić
|
Sacked | 28 September 2016[24] | 14th | Valdas Ivanauskas
|
4 October 2016[25] |
| Anorthosis | Antonio Puche
|
Sacked | 18 October 2016[26] | 8th | Ronny Levy
|
26 October 2016[27] |
| Anagennisi | Adamos Adamou
|
Resigned | 18 October 2016[28] | 14th | Savvas Poursaitidis
|
23 October 2016[29] |
| Aris | Thalis Theodoridis
|
Sacked | 24 October 2016[30] | 13th |  Frederik Vanderbiest
|
1 November 2016[31] |
| AEZ | Nikolas Martides
|
Resigned | 16 November 2016[32] | 11th | Demetris Demetriou
|
12 December 2016[33] |
| Doxa | Loukas Hadjiloukas
|
Resigned | 28 November 2016[34] | 13th | Carlos Corberán
|
29 November 2016[35] |
| Apollon |  Pedro Emanuel
|
Sacked | 11 December 2016[36] | 4th | Sofronis Avgousti
|
16 December 2016[37] |
| Aris | Frederik Vanderbiest
|
Resigned | 3 January 2017[38] | 11th | Nikolas Martides
|
4 January 2017[39] |
| Ermis | Nicos Panayiotou
|
Mutual consent | 9 January 2017[40] | 6th | Giorgos Kosma
|
9 January 2017[41] |
| Doxa | Carlos Corberán
|
Sacked | 24 January 2017[42] | 12th | Savvas Poursaitidis
|
25 January 2017[43] |
| Anagennisi | Savvas Poursaitidis
|
Signed by Doxa | 25 January 2017[43] | 14th | Zouvanis Zouvani
|
25 January 2017[44] |
| Ermis | Giorgos Kosma
|
Sacked | 28 January 2017[45] | 6th | Carlos Corberán
|
30 January 2017[46] |
| Omonia | John Carver
|
Mutual consent | 23 February 2017[47] | 5th | Ioakim Ioakim (caretaker)
|
23 February 2017[47] |
| Nea Salamina | Staikos Vergetis
|
Resigned | 6 March 2017[48] | 8th | Toni Conceição
|
16 March 2017[49] |
| AEL | Pambos Christodoulou
|
Mutual consent | 7 March 2017[50] | 4th | Dionysis Dionysiou
|
7 March 2017[50] |
| AEL | Dionysis Dionysiou
|
Mutual consent | 22 March 2017[51] | 5th | Bruno Baltazar
|
22 March 2017[51] |
| Doxa | Savvas Poursaitidis
|
Resigned | 29 April 2017[52] | 12th | Loukas Hadjiloukas
|
2 May 2017[53] |
Regular season
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | APOEL | 26 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 62 | 16 | +46 | 62 | Qualification for the championship round |
| 2 | AEK Larnaca
|
26 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 54 | 19 | +35 | 58 | |
| 3 | Apollon Limassol
|
26 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 56 | 19 | +37 | 57 | |
| 4 | AEL Limassol | 26 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 40 | 22 | +18 | 51 | |
| 5 | Omonia | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 56 | 37 | +19 | 50 | |
| 6 | Anorthosis Famagusta | 26 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 39 | 27 | +12 | 39 | |
| 7 | Ermis Aradippou | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 35 | 41 | −6 | 35 | Qualification for the relegation round |
| 8 | Nea Salamis Famagusta | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 33 | −11 | 31 | |
| 9 | Ethnikos Achna | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 42 | 46 | −4 | 30 | |
| 10 | Karmiotissa Pano Polemidion | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 30 | 53 | −23 | 27 | |
| 11 | Aris Limassol | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 30 | 52 | −22 | 24 | |
| 12 | Doxa Katokopias | 26 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 20 | 38 | −18 | 20 | |
| 13 | Anagennisi Deryneia (R) | 26 | 0 | 7 | 19 | 18 | 58 | −40 | 7 | Relegation to the Cypriot Second Division |
| 14 | AEZ Zakakiou[a] (R) | 26 | 1 | 8 | 17 | 20 | 63 | −43 | 5 |
Source: CFA (in Greek), UEFA, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored; 8) Play-off (only if deciding championship round, relegation round or relegation).[56]
(R) Relegated
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored; 8) Play-off (only if deciding championship round, relegation round or relegation).[56]
(R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ AEZ Zakakiou were deducted six points for suspicious betting activity.[54][55]
Results
Positions by round
The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches.
Apollon 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | |
| AEL | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Omonia | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Anorthosis | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| Ermis | 11 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| Nea Salamina | 14 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| Ethnikos | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
| Karmiotissa | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | |
| Aris | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | |
| Doxa | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | |
| Anagennisi | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | |
| AEZ | 2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
