Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Spain 1st with 21 points, Cyprus 5th with 0, 21 apart. Cyprus ranked just 47th in the league on five-round form despite their 5th table position. Against a league average of 1.44 goals per team per game, Cyprus ran at 0.38 scored and 3.5 conceded, Spain at 3.13 and 0.63.
Defeat had followed defeat for Cyprus — six in succession. Spain entered with four wins in a row. Cyprus had banked 0 of the last 15 points on offer; Spain, 13.
The match was played at Makareio Stadio in Nicosia (capacity 16,000). On the scoreboard, Spain led 3-0 at the break; 1 second-half goal set the final 1-3.