Nioplias to take up Cyprus challenge

Former Panathinaikos FC and Greece youth coach Nikos Nioplias has taken charge of Cyprus a month after the departure of his compatriot Angelos Anastasiadis.

A statement from the Cyprus Football Association (KOP/CFA) read: "The CFA has reached a verbal agreement with Nikos Nioplias to take over the national side for the remainder of the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying campaign as well as the qualifying campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The new coach is expected to arrive in Cyprus within the next one to two weeks to sign his contract with the CFA and to meet our international players."

The 46-year-old Nioplias guided Panathinaikos to a domestic double in 2009/10, having caught the eye in 2007 when he coached Greece to the final of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship, which they lost 1-0 to Spain. He then took over the U21 side, earning four wins, one draw and one defeat before departing for Panathinaikos.

Cyprus are second from bottom in Group H having picked up just two points from their opening four UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers. They meet Moldova in a friendly in early August before taking on Portugal on 2 September in Larnaca. The first match between the two teams ended in a shock 4-4 draw in Portugal.