Ayia Napa FC

Cypriot football club
Football club
AO Ayia Napa
Full nameAthlitikos Omilos Ayias Napas
Founded14 July 1990; 35 years ago (1990-07-14)
GroundParalimni Stadium, Paralimni
Capacity5,800
ChairmanDr. Sergis Sergiou
ManagerVacant
LeagueSecond Division
2024–25Second Division, 11th of 16

Athlitikos Omilos Ayia Napa (Greek: Αθλητικός Όμιλος Αγία Νάπα, Athletic Club Ayia Napa) is a Cypriot football club from the town of Ayia Napa. The club was founded in 1990 after the merger of two clubs: APEAN (Athlitiki Podosfairiki Enosis Ayias Napas; "Athletic Football Union of Ayia Napa") and ENAN (Enosis Neon Ayias Napas; "Youth Union Ayia Napa").

History

The club started in the Third Division (1990–91). They were promoted to Second Division in season 2000–01 after finishing 2nd in Third division. The team once played against Omonia Nicosia in Cup tournament. It lost 4–0 in the first match but came 2–2 in the second match.

Promotion to First Division

The biggest achievement of AO Ayia Napa's history was in the 2005–06 season after the team finished 3rd in Cypriot Second Division and was promoted to the Cypriot First Division. Despite it being their maiden appearance in the First Division, Ayia Napa proved a formidable force for other First Division sides in the 2006–07 season. In their first match in the division, they achieved a surprise away draw against Anorthosis Famagusta, which were followed by two more draws, including one against First Division Heavyweights Omonia Nicosia. In their first 12 matches overall they achieved several draws, including another home draw against APOEL. However, they had to wait until the 13th matchday for their first victory, when the team beat Aris Limassol 4–1. By the midway point of the season, the team had lost just 5 times. On 14 January 2007, in the reverse fixture of their earlier draw, Ayia Napa beat Omonia Nicosia 2–1, arguably the most impressive result in the clubs' history. After that victory there were a few more successful results and the club looked like they may avoid relegation. However, the team lost their last seven First Division matches of the season and ended up relegated.

Cup qualification to the Quarter-finals

Another big achievement of Ayia Napa FC is the qualification to the cup's quarter-finals group stage in the 2007–08 season while the team was in the Cypriot Second Division. That season was the only team from Cypriot Second Division that qualified to quarter-finals. The club finished third in the group stages with wins against APOEL and Aris Limassol.

Stadium

The team's stadium is Municipal Stadium of Ayia Napa, which is a multi-use stadium in Ayia Napa. It is currently used mostly for football matches and holds 2,000 people. However the stadium was not suitable for first division matches, so for the season 2006–07, when Ayia Napa plays in First Division, the team is using for home the Tasos Markou Stadium in Paralimni.

The UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship was hosted in Cyprus in 1998 and the UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship in 1992 and the Ayia Napa Stadium was used for two matches of Republic of Ireland in each competition;[1] on 19 June 1998, their 5–2 victory against Croatia and four days later, their 3–0 Cyprus U-19 national team and qualified to the final where they went on to win the trophy. In 1992, the Irish were beaten by the Netherlands U-16 0–2 and tied by Spain 1–1.

Players

As of 14 September, 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  GRE Ilias Melkas
4 DF  CYP Marios Peratikos
5 MF  ALB Klaidi Tershalla (captain)
6 MF  GRE Antonis Tsiaras
7 FW  CYP Lefteris Alampritis
8 FW  CYP Onisiforos Roushias
9 FW  SLE Osman Koroma
10 MF  CYP Theodosis Siathas
12 MF  CYP Kyriakos Kosteas
14 FW  GRE Ilias Batzonis
17 MF  CYP Giorgos Charalampous
19 FW  CYP Panagiotis Ilia
22 DF  USA Giorgos Mavrommatis
23 MF  CYP Periklis Perikleous
24 DF  CYP Chrysostomos Ioakim
No. Pos. Nation Player
25 DF  ENG Jack Browne
29 MF  CYP Toni Melas
30 MF  GRE Dimitrios Litenas
33 FW  CYP Eleftherios Isaak
42 FW  CYP Giorgos Kikillos
44 DF  CYP Andreas Daniel
45 DF  CYP Andreas Kyriakou
46 DF  CYP Modestos Sotiriou
88 MF  CYP Antonis Koumis
99 GK  CYP Konstantinos Petrou
-- DF  CYP Giorgos Panteli
-- FW  GRE Konstantinos Volakis
-- FW  CYP Stefanos Vasiliou
-- GK  ITA Marco Vanzini

Managers

  • Greece Nikos Kolompourdas (16 January 2013 – 25 February 2013)
  • Cyprus Costas Loizou (26 February 2013 – 5 April 2013)
  • Cyprus Marios Neophytou (5 April 2013 – 21 October 2013)
  • Cyprus Zouvanis Zouvani (24 October 2013 – 13 January 2014)
  • Serbia Dušan Mitošević (14 January 2014 – 17 April 2014)
  • Cyprus Nikos Andronikou (6 June 2014 – 30 September 2014)
  • Cyprus Giorgos Kosma (23 October 2014 – 28 January 2016)
  • Cyprus Antonis Mertakkas (28 January 2016 – 14 February 2016)

Honours

References

  1. ^ "European U-18 Championship 1998". Archived from the original on 2012-09-30. Retrieved 2012-07-03.
  • Soccerway profile
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