Ethnikos Achna Football Club (Greek: Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Εθνικός Άχνας), commonly known as Ethnikos Achna, or simply Ethnikos, is a Cypriot football club based in the village of Dasaki Achnas. Founded in 1968, the club currently plays in the Cypriot First Division. Ethnikos' home ground is the Dasaki Stadium, which has a capacity of 7000 seats.

Ethnikos Achnas
Full nameEthnikos Achnas Football Club
Nickname(s)Achniotes
Founded1968; 56 years ago (1968)
GroundDasaki Stadium, Dasaki Achnas
Capacity7,000
ChairmanKikis Filippou
ManagerMarinos Satsias
LeagueFirst Division
2022–23Second Division, 3rd (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

History edit

The club played in the Cypriot Second Division until 1983 when it was promoted to the Cypriot First Division but was immediately relegated. Ethnikos was promoted to the First Division again in 1986 and stayed there for four seasons. Another two years in the Second Division ended with promotion to the First Division in 1992, where Ethnikos have remained until 2018 when they were relegated again.

The team's best overall national ranking is fourth in the 1994–95, 1997–98 and 2006–07 seasons. The club participated in the Cypriot Cup final twice; once in 2002, where they were beaten by Anorthosis Famagusta 0–1, as well as in 2022 when they were beaten by Omonoia in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 score in normal and extra time.

European Competitions edit

Ethnikos competed in the UEFA Intertoto Cup six times: In 1998, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Five of those times, they were eliminated in the first round. However, in 2006, Ethnikos won the Intertoto Cup and was of the eleven winners of that year's competition. After eliminating Albanian side Partizani Tirana, they faced Croatian side NK Osijek. They tied both matches, but Ethnikos advanced on away goals, and became the first Cypriot team to have reached the third round of the Intertoto Cup. There, they beat Maccabi Petah Tikva 4–3 on aggregate, and became one of the competition's eleven winners. This meant that Ethnikos had qualified for the 2006–07 UEFA Cup.

In the UEFA Cup, Ethnikos eliminated Roeselare with a 2–1 loss in Belgium and a 5–0 victory in Cyprus, qualifying for the first round. They were eliminated by Lens after drawing the first leg at home (played at GSP Stadium, Nicosia) 0–0 and losing 3–1 in France. Because of their success in the Intertoto Cup, Ethnikos was named the Sports Team of the Year in 2006, by the Sports Journalists Union of Cyprus.

Honours edit

Domestic edit

League edit

Cups edit

International edit

Players edit

As of 31 March 2024

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   MKD Martin Bogatinov (captain)
3 DF   MKD Kire Ristevski
4 MF   MKD Stefan Spirovski
5 MF   ARG Manuel de Iriondo
6 DF   CYP Marios Peratikos
7 MF   CYP Constantinos Elia
8 MF   POL Patryk Lipski
10 MF   CYP Marios Pechlivanis
12 MF   GHA Emmanuel Lomotey (loan from Malmö FF)
14 MF   URU Nicolás Mezquida
16 DF   NED Lucas Bijker
19 FW   NED Jay Enem (loan from Venezia)
21 DF   CYP Thomas Nikolaou
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 DF   CYP Petros Ioannou
23 DF   CYP Panayiotis Artymatas (loan from Apollon Limassol)
24 MF   ARG Diego Becker
28 DF   CYP Marios Stylianou
29 FW   GRE Nikolaos Ioannidis
30 FW   ARG Enzo Cabrera (loan from Newell's Old Boys)
33 GK   CYP Alexander Kavaleuskiy
47 DF   CYP Nikolas Perdios
70 FW   CYP Marios Elia
71 FW   SRB Dejan Dražić
77 FW   CYP Demetris Christofi
79 GK   CYP Constantinos Panagi (loan from Omonia)
80 FW   CYP Giorgos Angelopoulos

Other players under contract edit

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF   CYP Sotiris Kavalieros

Out on loan edit

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
28 MF   LVA Andreas Perdios (at PO Ormidias until 30 June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
88 DF   CYP Sotiris Fiakas (at Omonia 29M until 30 June 2024)

Historical list of coaches edit

Ethnikos Achna in European competitions edit

Overall edit

Competition Pld W D L GF GA GD
UEFA Cup 4 1 1 2 7 5 +2
UEFA Intertoto Cup 16 4 6 6 20 30 −10
Total 20 6 8 6 27 35 –8

Matches edit

Season Competition Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Agg.
1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R   Örgryte 2–1 (H) 0–4 (A) 2–5
2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R   Győri ETO 1–1 (A) 2–2 (H) 3–3 (a)
2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R   Vardar 1–5 (H) 1–5 (A) 2–10
2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R   Partizani 4–2 (H) 1–2 (A) 5–4
2R   Osijek 2–2 (A) 0–0 (H) 2–2 (a)
3R   Maccabi Petah Tikva 2–0 (A) 2–3 (H) 4–3
2006–07 UEFA Cup 2Q   Roeselare 1–2 (A) 5–0 (H) 6–2
1R   Lens 0–0 (H) 1–3 (A) 1–3
2007 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R   Makedonija GP 1–0 (H) 0–2 (A) 1–2
2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R   Besa 0–0 (A) 1–1 (H) 1–1 (a)
Notes
  • QR: Qualifying round
  • 1Q: First qualifying round
  • 2Q: Second qualifying round
  • 3Q: Third qualifying round
  • PO: Play-off round

References edit

  1. ^ Macpherson, Graeme (29 January 2017). "Valdas Ivanauskas on Hearts 10 years on, working with Vladimir Romanov, and why Craig Gordon should sign for Chelsea". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

External links edit