(Football Results) - Pafos shocked the Champions League by beating Villarreal 1-0 on home ground, marking their inaugural victory and making history for Cyprus football.
A magical night in Cyprus saw Pafos accomplish a miracle by overcoming Villarreal 1-0, earning their first-ever win in the Champions League group stage — an unforgettable achievement for this small club.
Both teams entered the match determined to claim their first victory. Villarreal started strongly, with Domingos Quina and Nicolas Pépé repeatedly threatening the opponent’s goal. The "Yellow Submarine" executed sharp combinations, but Georges Mikautadze missed a golden chance, and goalkeeper Neofytos Michail made a brilliant save against Pape Gueye’s shot.
After initial struggles, Pafos gradually regained confidence, organized a tight defense, and executed effective counterattacks. Villarreal’s Pépé was frustrated by Ken Sema’s persistent marking, while the visitors’ attack lacked sharpness, resulting in a goalless first half.
Pafos secures historic Champions League victory (Photo: GOAL)
At the start of the second half, the stadium erupted as Derrick Luckassen rose to head in a corner from Sema, putting the home side ahead. For the first time ever, Pafos took the lead in a Champions League group stage match. With this advantage, coach Juan Carlos Carcedo’s team played with growing confidence, continuously unsettling Villarreal’s defense.
Marcelino was forced to use all five substitutions within five minutes to try to change the situation, but all efforts failed. Gerard Moreno and Santi Comesaña missed late chances, while goalkeeper Michail performed like "Spiderman" to maintain the scoreline.
This historic win not only earned three valuable points but also made Pafos the first Cypriot team since 2011 to win a Champions League group stage match — while Villarreal sank deeper into crisis with just one point from four games.
93. Michail
7. Bruno
23. Luckassen
4. David Luiz
12. Sema
26. Sunjic
5. Goldar
88. Pepe
17. Orsic
30. Dragomir
8. Quina
9. Mikautadze
22. Perez
20. Moleiro
18. Gueye
10. Parejo
19. Pepe
23. Cardona
12. Veiga
8. Foyth
15. Mourino
1. Luiz Junior
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